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RECOLLECTIONS 


HOUSEKEEPER. 


BY  MRS.  CLARISSA  PACKARD. 


QuicWy.  Look  you,  I  keep  his  house,  and  I  wash,  wring,  brew,  bake,  Kour,  i 
meat  and  drink,  make  the  beds,  and  do  all  myself. 
Simple.  'Tis  a  great  charge  to  come  under  one  body's  hand. 


NEW-YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  HARPER  &  BROTHERS, 

PAL   FiOOKSI 
ITKD    STAT 

1834. 


[Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1834,  by 
HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Southern  Dis- 
trict of  New-York.] 


TO    MRS.    FAY, 

Of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 

V-  >•'"•**       'v          •   V 

THE     FOLLOWING     AUTHENTIC     SKETCHES, 
THE     MINGLED     RESULT 

OF 

OBSERVATION  AND  EXPERIENCE, 
ARE  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED  BY 

THE    AUTHOR. 

Charlatan,  S.  C. 


1 732016 


RECOLLECTIONS 

OF  A 

HOUSEKEEPER. 
CHAPTER  I. 

Ici  tout  est  vivant,  tout  parle  a  ma  memoire 

TRENEUIL. 
Far  up  the  tide  of  time  I  turn  my  sail. 

ROGERS. 

MY  maiden  name  was  Clarissa  Gray.  I  was 
born  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Boston  (Mass.), 
in  17 — ,  and  educated  with  the  few  facilities  at 
that  time  afforded  for  the  young ;  that  is,  I  read 
"  No  man  may"  in  Webster's  Spelling-book, 
then  advanced  to  the  more  elaborate  "  Art  of 
Speaking,"  and  committed  to  memory,  page  by 
page,  Morse's  Geography,  without  maps,  of 
course  in  glorious  uncertainty  with  regard  to 
the  position  even  of  my  own  country.  My 

A2 


6  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

ciphering-book,  however,  was  my  pride,  and 
my  mother's  too.  With  what  delight  did  she 
display  those  sums,  that  rose  like  Banquo's 
ghosts, 

"And  drew  at  each  remove  a  lengthening  chain." 

At  the  age  of  eight  years  I  recollect  seeing 
my  mother  reading  a  thin  black  book,  which 
attracted  my  attention.  It  was  "  Blair's  Grave," 
and  she  read  me  the  passage, 

"But  see,  the  well-plumed  hearse  comes  nodding  on." 

How  distinctly  my  imagination  pictured  that 
hearse  and  those  nodding  plumes  !  I  recollect 
no  other  books,  until  I  saw  and  devoured  Shaks- 
peare,  at  the  age  of  nine,  except  an  odd  volume 
of  Pope,  containing  "  The  Messiah,"  and  "  The 
Rape  of  the  Lock."  I  sometimes  look  around 
on  the  mass  of  books  collected  by  my  chil- 
dren, and  am  half  skeptical  with  regard  to  the 
value  of  juvenile  literature,  when  I  remember 
how  my  mind  opened  under  the  mysteries  of 
those  writings. 

Injustice,  however,  to  the  good  tendency  of 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  7 

engravings,  I  must  mention,  that  the  effect  pro- 
duced on  me  by  the  only  two  picture-books  I 
possessed  was  an  important  one.  One  of  them 
was  "  Watts's  Hymns  for  Infant  Minds,"  where 
fighting  animals  are  portrayed.  When  friends 
have  wounded  or  foes  oppressed  me,  the  strong 
but  simple  lines  which  elucidate  the  picture, 

"  Let  dogs  delight  to  bark  and  bite," 

have  arisen  to  my  memory,  and  calmed  my 
chafed  spirit,  when  mere  flimsy  sentiment  would 
have  afforded  me  no  shelter  against  wrong. 

The  other  book,  and  it  is  as  distinct  to  my 
imagination  now  as  the  rich  landscape  by  Fisher 
which  hangs  before  me,  contained  a  representa- 
tion of  Miss  Kitty  Greedy  leaning  both  elbows 
on  a  table,  with  her  mouth  crammed  to  reple- 
tion, trying  in  vain  to  address  her  mamma.  The 
morale  has  clung  to  me  to  this  day,  and  I  never 
see  a  young  or  old  gourmand,  or  detect  myself 
in  a  superfluous  mouthful,  without  thinking  of 
Kitty  Greedy. 

The  utmost  term  of  my  solid  education  was 


8  RECOLLECTIONS  OP 

one  year  of  attendance  at  the  town  school, — a 
square  building,  with  one  room  for  both  sexes, 
near  an  open  common,  without  a  shrub  or  tree 
to  grace  or  shade  it.  Thither,  bearing  my  own 
satchel,  I  walked  a  mile,  being  a  journey  of  four 
miles  daily,  to  make  my  "  young  idea  shoot." 
I  will  not  say  much  for  my  ideas,  but  my  limbs 
were  not  backward  in  the  process.  I  shot  up 
into  a  tall  girl,  and  was  allowed  to  go  occasion- 
ally with  my  mother  to  take  tea  sociably  with 
her  friends  at  four  o'clock,  carrying  my  knitting- 
work  for  occupation. 

My  accomplishments  are  soon  told.  I  opened 
an  exhibition  ball  with  one  of  the  slow  min- 
uets of  the  last  century,  and  I  cannot  but  stop 
to  render  a  tribute  of  admiration  to  that  charm- 
ing movement,  in  spite  of  the  admirers  of  the 
lazy  quadrille,  or  the  seductive  waltz. 

A  single  courtesy  or  bow,  when  well  ordered, 
is  graceful ;  think  then  how  delightful  must  be 
the  spectacle  of  a  series  of  these  beautiful 
curves,  performed  to  slow  and  appropriate  mu- 
sic, by  so  attractive  a  couple  as  I  certainly  be- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  9 

lieved  Clarissa  Gray  and  my  partner  Benjamin 
Homes  to  be.  He  was  a  red-cheeked  boy  of 
thirteen,  and  had  a  pair  of  new  white  gloves 
for  the.  occasion,  unharmed  by  contact  with 
mine,  for  the  minuet  allows  but  the  meet- 
ing of  the  extremities  of  the  fingers,  and  that 
lightly.  I  know  not  thy  destiny,  Benjamin,  but 
I  have  sometimes  wished  thou  mightst  tread 
through  life  on  such  polished  footing,  with  sweet 
music  to  lead  thee,  and  a  partner  as  kind. 

My  teacher  honoured,  or  rewarded,  me  with 
a  choice  of  fancy  dances,  and  I  decided  on  the 
slow  minuet.  How  brilliant  was  the  scene  ! 
Our  old  clergyman  and  his  lady  were  stationed 
in  conspicuous  seats,  and  looked  on  with  benev- 
olent smiles.  We  scarcely  felt  the  floor  while 
moving  with  a  step  closely  resembling  the  waltz, 
our  hands  raised,  the  top  of  each  fore-finger 
making  a  circle  with  the  thumb,  then  slowly 
descending,  while  with  sidelong  glances,  and 
sidelong  steps,  with  measured  obeisances,  we 
evolved  the  "  poetry  of  motion." 

I  commenced  learning  music  upon  an  old 


10  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

spinet  of  my  mother's  ;  but  her  indulgence  soon 
imported  for  me  a  harpsichord  of  the  latest 
fashion,  and  though  my  more  fastidious  ear  may 
be  critically  pleased  with  the  improvements  in 
the  modern  piano-forte,  I  have  never  felt  so 
rapt  and  raised  as  when  I  sang  to  a  silent 
circle,  "  Henry's  Cottage  Maid,"  or  "  Her  mouth 
which  a  smile,"  to  my  own  harpsichord. 

My  sampler  was  one  of  unrivalled  beauty. 
It  possessed  every  shade  and  glory  of  tent- 
stitch.  At  the  upper  corners  were  cherubs' 
heads  and  wings.  Under  the  alphabets  stood 
Adam  and  Eve,  draperied  with  fig-leaves,  and 
between  them  these  appropriate  lines — 

Clarissa  Gray  is  my  name, 

My  age  is  ten. 

This  work  in  hand  my  friends  may  have, 

When  I  am  dead  and  laid  in  grave. 

This  sampler. was  a  matter  of  curiosity,  and 
sometimes  of  ridicule,  to  my  children ;  but  now 
that  they  perceive  my  gray  hairs  and  increasing 
infirmities,  I  find  the  sampler  neatly  folded  and 
laid  aside,  and  sometimes  a  conscious  look  re- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  11 

veals  to  me  that  they  think  I  may  soon  be  folded 
to  rest  in  the  grave. 

Our  pecuniary  circumstances  enabled  us  to 
indulge  in  the  luxuries  of  life ;  but  none  of  these 
interfered  with  my  education  for  usefulness. 
My  mother  was  proud  to  say  that  I  could  man- 
ufacture a  frilled  shut  in  two  days,  with  stitches 
that  required  a  microscope  to  detect  them.  I 
made  my  own  bed,  swept  and  dusted  the  apart- 
ments, mended  my  own  clothes,  and  when  pud- 
ding or  cake  was  to  be  made,  rolled  up  my 
slee,ves,  and  went  to  beating  eggs,  with  strokes 
that  J  should  half  like  to  see  given  to  lazy  mod- 
ern girls,  lolling  over  new-fangled  cookery- 
books.  But  this  was  not  all. 

"  Clarissa,"  said  my  judicious  mother,  "  by 
not  knowing  how  to  make  puddings  and  pies, 
you  may  be  occasionally  mortified ;  but  if  you 
are  ignorant  of  roasting  and  boiling,  you  may 
be  annoyed  every  day." 

On  washing  and  ironing  days,  therefore,  I 
spent  a  large  portion  of  my  time  in  the  kitchen ; 
well  known,  on  such  occasions,  as  the  New- 


12  RECOLLECTIONS  OP 

England  Pandemonium.  Quite  contented  did 
I  feel,  if  able  to  retire  to  my  bed-room,  "  my 
loop-hole  of  retreat,"  by  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  The  only  domestic  I  distinctly  re- 
member in  my  mother's  establishment  was  a 
washerwoman,  called  Ma'am  Bridge,  whose 
mouth  and  chin  resembled  the  modern  pictures 
of  old  Mother  Hubbard,  and  who  was  an  extra 
assistant  on  washing  days.  She  wore  a  mob 
cap,  with  a  broad  unstarched  frill,  which,  in 
hanging  out  clothes  against  the  wind,  fell  back, 
displaying  her  sharp  physiognomy.  One  day 
I  was  laying  some  ham  on  the  gridiron,  my 
mother  preferring  it  broiled  to  fried,  while 
Ma'am  Bridge  was  sudsing  the  clothes  in  a  tub 
before  her,  and  dexterously  throwing  them  into 
a  rinsing  tub  behind.  A  sudden  thunder-gust 
had  arisen,  and  a  brilliant  flash  of  lightning 
blazed  through  the  kitchen.  I  heard  a  great 
splash,  and  turning  round  saw  Ma'am  Bridge 
seated  in  the  wash-tub,  with  the  water  gushing 
out  on  all  sides ;  her  head  was  thrown  back, 
and  her  broad  frill  with  it,  developing  a  mingled 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  13 

expression  of  consternation  at  the  danger,  and 
joy  at  her  escape.  It  was  one  of  those  odd 
combinations  in  which  the  ludicrous  triumphs 
over  the  fearful.  As  she  rose  from  the  tub,  like 
Venus  from  her  shell,  or  Cowper's  Rose,  "  all 
dripping  and  drown'd,"  I  laughed  until  I  brought 
upon  myself  her  just  indignation. 

I  do  not  feel  myself  called  upon  to  say  how 
many  loaves  of  bread,  under  my  apprenticeship, 
came  out  of  the  oven  as  heavy  as  a  bad  joke,  or 
as  sour  as  an  unkind  one ;  how  my  pickles 
turned  soft  and  yellow ;  how  I  filled  a  bed  with- 
out curing  the  feathers ;  how  I  put  pepper  in- 
stead of  alspice  into  a  batch  of  mince-pies ;  how 
many  chemical  separations  instead  of  affinities 
took  place  in  my  baked  beans  and  Indian  pud- 
dings ;  and  how  my  pan-dowdy  disconcerted  all 
the  family,  except  my  cousin  Sam,  a  black-eyed 
boy,  with  a  raging  appetite,  who  dined  with  us 
every  Sunday,  and  who  affirmed  that  the  paste 
was  not  tough,  and  that  he  did  not  mind  if  the 
apple  cores  did  choke  him  a  little.  These  mis- 
chances will  happen  in  every  department,  and 


14  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

[  may  claim  the  sympathy  of  the  lawyer  who 
blunders  in  his  maiden  speech,  of  the  doctor 
who  kills  his  first  patient,  and  of  the  preacher 
who  soothes  his  first  hearers  to  sleep.  This 
acknowledgment,  however,  I  will  make  en  pas- 
sant, that  my  mother's  persevering  tuition  in 
cookery  has  saved  me  a  thousand  mortifications, 
to  which  I  have  seen  ignorant  housewives  ex- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  15 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  FIRST  TRIAL. 

It  were  a  goot  motion  if  we  give  over  pribbles  and  prabbles, 
and  desire  a  marriage  between  Master  Abraham  and  Mistress 
Page.  PARSON  EVANS.  • 

IT  was  beginning  to  be  a  subject  of  deep  cal- 
culation with  me,  whether  a  brunette  should 
wear  pink  or  yellow  riband  on  her  bonnet ;  and 
I  had  decided  on  the  former,  when  one  Sabbath, 
on  entering  the  meeting-house,  I  observed  a 
stranger  outside  the  porch,  and  on  glancing  at 
the  gallery,  after  I  was  seated,  I  again  perceived 
him  there.  I  thought  he  looked  at  our  pew 
more  than  was  correct,  but,  some  how  or  other, 
I  kept  looking  at  him  to  see  whether  he  would 
become  more  attentive  to  the  exercises,  and  thus 
our  eyes  repeatedly  met. 

After  service  he  came  to  the  porch,  for  in 
New-England  people  retire  from  their  pews 


16  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

with  a  silent  bow  to  their  acquaintance,  and  in- 
troduced himself  to  my  mother  as  Mr.  Packard 
from  Boston,  the  son  of  a  friend.  He  remained 
a  few  days  at  the  village  on  law  business, 
for  he  was  an  attorney,  and  though  my  mother 
was  one  of  the  most  unostentatious  women  in 
the  world,  yet  before  he  left  us  she  made  him 
understand  that  I  could  skewer  a  goose,  roll  puff 
paste,  complete  a  shirt,  and  make  a  list  carpet, 
as  well  as  I  played  on  the  spinet  and  worked 
tent-stitch.  She  was  on  the  point  of  telling 
him  that  I  could  spin  a  little,  but  I  protested 
against  any  thing  so  old-fashioned. 

According  to  my  motto,  I  "  gave  over  prib- 
bles  and  prabbles,"  and  married,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  Edward  Packard.  I  remember  the 
moment,  when,  after  a  short  ride,  I  first  entered 
my  adopted  home  in  the  North  Square,  one  of 
the  most  genteel  quarters  in  the  then  town  of 
Boston.  The  new  carpet,  new  chairs,  and  new 
mahogany,  with  its  virgin  hue,  undarkened  by 
wax  and  turpentine,  are  all  before  me.  My 
mother  was  with  me,  arid  though  she  held  one 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  17 

of  my  hands,  and  my  husband  the  other,  I  could 
not  restrain  my  tears  from  falling,  happy  though 
they  were. 

I  felt  half  ashamed  to  praise  the  parlour  fur- 
niture, though  I  secretly  said,  "  It  is  mine."  On 
recovering  from  my  shyness,  I  visited  the  vari- 
ous apartments,  and  I  think  I  was  most  attract- 
ed by  the  nicely  sanded  kitchen,  not  even  ex- 
cepting a  closet,  which  I  might  now  call  a  bou- 
doir, fitted  up  expressly  for  me  by  my  husband. 

How  bright  were  those  new  tins  and  brasses, 
arranged  with  ostentatious  glitter  on  the  walls 
and  dresser !  How  comfortable  that  suspended 
warming-pan  !  How  red  and  clean  those  bricks, 
that  extended  to  the  right  and  left,  leaving  space 
for  a  family  in  the  corners.  A  settle,  too,  that 
glory  of  New-England  kitchens,  was  there,  now 
banished  for  the  inhospitable  chair,  which  ac- 
commodates one  instead  of  three  !  I  had  often 
presided  in  a  parlour,  but  never  before  was  mis- 
tress of  a  kitchen ! 

A  council  had  been  called  previous  to  my 

marriage,  of  the  number  of  "help"  which  we 
B  2 


18  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

should  require,  and  it  was  decided  that  a  female 
cook,  and  a  little  girl  to  "  wait  and  tend,"  would 
answer  our  purpose,  and  be  sufficiently  genteel. 

I  was  introduced,  on  that  memorable  even- 
ing, to  Nancy,  the  cook.  She  was  the  picture 
of  cleanliness.  She  had  on,  what  is  called  in 
New-England,  a  "  calico  short  loose  gown," 
and  at  the  south,  "  a  chintz  wrapper,"  with  a 
check  apron,  a  little  starched,  tied  round  her 
waist.  Both  cook  and  kitchen  were  in  perfect 
keeping. 

"Well,  Nancy,"  said  I,  with  a  half  modest, 
half  patronising  tone,  "  I  am  a  young  house- 
keeper, but  I  dare  say  we  shall  get  along  very 
well." 

"  Oh,  ma'am,"  replied  Nancy,  "  /  am  not  at 
all  petikelar.  I  never  has  no  differences  with 
nobody." 

How  amiable  !  thought  I ;  and  I  gave  her  a 
calico  bag,  containing  iron  holders,  kettle  hold 
ers,  wipers,  and  dishcloths,  presented  me  by 
an  old  aunt,  who  had  quilted  them  for  the  occa- 
sion, and  who  said,  with  a  commiserating  voice, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  19 

V 

as  she  presented  them,  "  Young  housekeepers 
have  no  rags,  poor  things  !" 

The  same  kind  friend  gave  me  a  rag-bag,  and 
repeated  to  me  an  anecdote  she  was  fond  of 
relating,  of  a  lady  in  Cambridge,  who  sold  rags 
enough  at  four  cents  a  pound  to  buy  herself  a 
silver  porringer.  "  And  mind,  Clarissa,"  con- 
tinued she,  "  that  you  do  not  throw  away  the 
ends  of  your  thread — they  all  help  to  fill  up." 
I  heeded  her  directions ;  and  who  knows  but 
some  act  of  diplomacy,  or  some  effusion  of  ge- 
nius, may  have  been  perpetuated  on  the  paper 
made  from  my  "  shreds  and  patches  ?" 

My  husband  was  at  home  nearly  all  the  first 
week,  and  my  mother,  nominally  my  guest,  re- 
lieved me  from  every  care  ;  but  on  the  Monday 
following,  she  returned  to  her  -own  residence, 
Edward  went  to  his  oifice,  and  I  was  left  alone. 
I  soon  felt  weary  of  idleness.  How  willingly 
would  I  have  darned  a  stocking,  or  clear-starched 
a  muslin ;  but,  alas,  every  thing  was  whole, 
and  in  order.  I  tried  to  find  a  withered  leaf  on 
my  geraniums,  but  they  all  looked  as  fresh  as 


20  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

if  they  too  were  just  married.  Centre  tables 
were  not  then  in  fashion,  or  I  could  have  be- 
guiled a  little  time  in  disarranging  them  for 
effect ;  but  no !  every  article  of  furniture  was 
in  its  proper  parallel,  and  every  chair  at  right 
angles  with  its  neighbour,  while  books  and 
knick-knacks,  as  drawing-room  luxuries,  were 
unknown. 

To  amuse  the  tedious  hours  of  my  husband's 
absence,  I  went  into  the  kitchen,  and  offered 
to  assist  Nancy  in  making  a  pudding.  My 
overtures  were  coldly  received,  but  I  thought 
that  that  might  be  "  her  way,"  and  I  proceeded 
to  break  the  eggs,  giving  little  Polly  the  raisins 
to  pick. 

"  We  don't  put  so  much  milk  as  that  ere  in 
puddins,"  said  Nancy,  eying  me  keenly. 

My  mother  had  taught  me  culinary  arts  with 
great  care,  and  I  felt  on  strong  ground  while 
I  defended  my  quantity  of  milk.  Nancy  an- 
swered me  again  with  some  heat,  and  when 
she  found  me  following  my  own  recipe  in  si- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  21 

lence,  dashed  the  sieve  full  of  flour  on  the  table, 
and  putting  her  arms  akimbo,  said, 

"Well,  Miss  Packard,  if  you  will  spile  the 
puddin,  you  must  bake  it  yourself." 

I  was  thunderstruck  !  A  bride,  to  whom  for 
a  week  all  had  submitted  as  to  a  queen ;  from 
whom  commands  were  favours,  and  requests 
privileges  !  I  felt  the  blood  rush  to  my  face, 
my  hands  trembled,  and  fearing  to  expose  my 
agitation,  I  quietly  laid  down  the  materials  I 
was  preparing,  and  said,  with  a  great  effort  at 
calmness, 

"  Finish  this  pudding,  and  bake  it  for  din- 
ner." 

I  just  made  out  to  reach  the  parlour,  when  I 
burst  into  tears,  and  sobbed  like  a  child,  com- 
forting myself,  however,  with  the  idea  that  I 
should  compose  myself  and  bathe  my  eyes  be- 
fore Edward  came  home.  But  that  was  not  to 
be.  With  a  young  husband's  impatience,  he 
had  hurried  through  his  business,  and  thinking 
to  give  me  a  pleasant  surprise,  stood  by  my  side. 

I  cannot  describe  his  concern  at  my  situation, 


22  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

while  I,  mortified  to  the  heart  at  having  exposed 
myself  in  tears  for  such  a  trifle,  could  scarcely 
explain  the  cause  of  my  distress.  When  I  did 
make  him  understand  the  nature  of  the  provo- 
cation I  had  received,  he  grew  angry  (I  had 
never  seen  him  angry  before),  and  walking  with 
long  strides  into  the  kitchen,  he  dismissed  Nancy 
on  the  spot. 

With  a  woman's  glance  I  saw  the  conse- 
quences. Nancy  laid  aside  a  raw  steak,  that  she 
was  making  tender  by  her  passionate  treatment, 
and  walked  up  stairs  in  high  dudgeon,  not  for- 
getting to  take  up  the  wages  which  Edward 
had  thrown  on  the  table.  Five  minutes  after, 
we  heard  her  departing  tramp  on  the  stairs. 

It  was  no  time  for  erying  now.  Little  Polly 
and  I  had  to  go  to  cooking  in  good  earnest. 
My  husband  turned  off  the  affair,  when  his  tem- 
per was  cooled,  with  a  very  pleasant  grace,  and 
as  I  placed  the  before-mentioned  steak  on  the 
gridiron,  exclaimed, 

"  Haste  hither,  Eve,  with  speed  ; 
And  what  thy  stores  contain  bring  forth,  and  pour  abundance. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  23 

When  our  dinner  was  cooked,  we  formed  a 
procession  from  the  kitchen  to  the  parlour.  Ed- 
ward bore  the  steak,  whistling  a  march.  I  fol- 
lowed, laughing,  with  the  pudding,  for  we  had 
to  economize  time,  and  little  Polly,  enjoying  the 
joke,  trudged  after  with  the  potatoes. 

Still  we  felt  that  there  was  an  effort  in  all  this, 
and  when  my  husband  looked  at  me  for  the  first 
time  alone,  at  his  table,  he  perceived  that  the 
kitchen  fire,  added  to  the  effects  of  weeping,  had 
deepened  the  hue  of  my  complexion  beyond  the 
delicacy  of  beauty,  and  as  I  was  assisting  him  to 
a  potato,  detected  a  spot  of  "  smut"  (pot-black) 
on  the  finger  on  which  he  had  placed  a  pearl 
ring.  I  blushed  deeper  crimson ;  and  tears,  those 
trials  to  young  wives,  started  to  my  eyes.  Ed- 
ward seemed  not  to  notice  it,  and  I  transferred 
the  sable  stain  to  one  of  my  bridal  handker- 
chiefs- 


24  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  III. 

SALLY    CURRY. 

She  is  not  the  fairest,  although  she  is  fair, 

O'  nice  education  but  sma'  is  her  share, 

Her  parentage  humble  as  humble  can  be. — BURNS. 

NOTHING  could  be  more  calm  than  our  even- 
ing meal  after  the  excitement  of  our  cook's 
departure.  We  felt  the  happiness  of  that  in- 
tercourse where  "love  is."  It  was  autumn. — 
The  beauty  and  freshness  of  summer  were  in 
the  heavens,  and  the  warmth  of  winter  on  our 
hearth. 

I  felt  no  embarrassment  in  carrying  my 
shining  brass  tea-kettle  into  the  parlour,  and 
making  tea  there,  which,  with  blushing  import- 
ance, I  poured  out  for  my  husband.  He  was  full 
of  the  gentle  pleasantry  of  satisfied  affection. 

Little  Polly  superintended  the  toasting  iron, 
that  luxury  so  little  known  in  some  places, 
where  forks  are  destroyed  daily  in  burning  one 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  26 

piece  of  bread,  while  the  iron  toasts  three  in 
less  time. 

My  mother  was  soon  apprized  of  the  loss  of 
my  cook,  and  the  very  next  evening  "help" 
came  in  the  form  of  a  gentle,  but  ignorant-look- 
ing girl  of  eighteen.  She  was  one  to  whom  I 
would  willingly  have  extended  my  hand,  and 
given  my  heart.  I  dreaded  to  think  that  so  soft 
a  creature  should  be  visited  by  the  elements 
"too  roughly."  She  was  however  active,  and 
her  duties  were  soon  well  performed.  Sally 
had  been  an  inmate  of  my  family  but  six 
weeks,  when  one  day  she  came  into  the  parlour, 
and,  colouring  very  deeply,  handed  me  a  letter, 
which  was  written  as  follows. 

"SALEM, . 

"  Dear  Sally, — I've  got  home  safe  from  Cal- 
cutta, and  reckon  that  you  will  be  glad  to  see 
me,  tho'  sometimes  I  aint  so  sure.  I  calculate 
to  be  in  Boston  by  to-morrow,  and  shall  find 
you  out.  If  you  haven't  got  another  sweetheart 
I  shall  want  to  marry  you  Sunday  night ;  if  you 


26  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

have,  I  shall  take  ship  Monday  morning  and  be 
off  again. 

"  Yours  till  death, 

"SAM'L.  CURRY. 

"P.S. — I  have  had  two  lucky  'ventures,  and 
we  shan't  want  for  nothing.  I  hope  you  aint 
lost  the  ring." 

"Well,  Sally,"  said  I,  smiling,  "  am  I  to  lose 
you  on  Sunday  night  ?" 

"  I  am  afeard  so,  ma'am,"  replied  she,  sliding 
behind  the  door. 

"  Don't  be  ashamed,  Sally,"  said  I.  "  I  have 
shown  you  such  an  example  of  marrying  one 
whom  I  preferred,  that  I  am  sure  I  cannot 
blame  you." 

Upon  this  Sally  looked  up,  and  I  asked  her 
how  long  she  had  known  Mr.  Curry. 

Sally  began  twisting  a  gold  ring  that  was  on 
the  fore-finger  of  her  left  hand,  and  said, 

"  My  mother,  ma'am,  was  a  poor  woman  in 
Salem,  the  widow  of  a  sea-captain.  He  was 
lost  on  a  voyage,  and  she  fell  sick,  declining, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER  27 

like.  I  was  her  only  child.  It  was  a  very  stormy 
night,  a  year  ago,  and  my  mother  was  very 
ill.  I  sent  to  a  neighbour  to  say  that  I  was 
afeard  she  wouldn't  stand  it.  Our  neighbour  sent 
back  she  daresn't  leave  her  baby,  who  was  sick, 
but  a  young  man  what  was  boarding  there,  a 
sailor  named  Curry,  a  very  decent  person,  would 
come  and  watch  with  me.  I  was  thankful  to 
see  a  living  countenance,  and  said  he  might 
come  and  welcome. 

"  That  was  a  forlorn  night ;  but  Mr.  Curry 
helped  me  a  sight.  My  mother  was  in  a  kind 
of  a  faint  like  all  night,  and  he  was  as  tender  as 
a  child  to  her.  Once  he  began  to  tell  a  sea  story, 
to  try  and  cheer  me  up,  but  he  found  he  made  me 
cry  more,  because  it  didn't  seem  somehow  re- 
spectful to  talk  of  the  things  of  life  by  a  death- 
bed, and  he  stopped  talking,  and  only  now 
and  then,  when  he  found  he  couldn't  com- 
fort me,  nor  raise  her  neither,  he  would  fetch 
up  such  a  pitying  look,  as  if  he  wished  he 
could. 

"  The  day  was  just  dawning  when  my  mother 


28  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

seemed  to  come  to  a  little,  and  spoke  right 
out,  '  Sally,  dear.' 

" '  What,  mother  ?'  says  I,  and  my  heart  beat 
as  if  it  would  come  through. 
• " '  Is  there  anybody  with  you  ?'  says  she. 
" '  Yes,  dear  mother,  a  friend,'  says  I,  whis- 
pering. 

" '  Will  he  take  care  of  you  ?'  says  she,  and 
she  looked  with  her  sunk  eye  full  on  Curry. 

"  Curry  got  right  up,  and  came  by  the  bed- 
side, and  knelt  down,  and  took  her  thin  hand, 
and  said,  in  a  voice  quite  loud  and  solemn,  'I 
will  take  care  of  her,  so  help  me  God.' 

"  She  didn't  say  another  word,  but  just  gave 
a  kind  of  sigh,  as  it  were,  not  sorrowful,  but  as 
if  she  was  satisfied,  and  squeezed  his  hand,  and 
so  she  died. 

"The  sun  rose  then  quite  glorious.  The 
light  didn't  look  right  to  me ;  it  shot  to  my  heart 
like  ice,  and  I  would  rather  have  had  it  dark 
again. 

"  Curry  was  very  kind  and  serviceable  to  me, 
but  just  as  he  was  going  to  call  in  the  neigh- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  29 

bours,  one  of  the  crew  came,  and  said,  the  ves- 
sel was  gettin  under  way,  and  he  must  go. 

"  There  wasn't  much  to  be  said,  because  he 
had  to  go  so  quick,  but  he  kissed  me  once  (you 
know  I  was  in  trouble,  and  that  somehow  brings 
us  all  equal),  and  took  a.  gold  ring  out  of  his 
waistcoat  pocket,  and  putting  it  on  my  ringer, 
said,  '  I  bought  that  ring  for  my  sister ;  but,  Miss 
Sally,  I  love  you  more  than  I  do  her  now,  and 
if  I  live  to  come  back,  you  shall  see  that  I  do, 
that  you  shall.' 

"  I  felt  as  if  my  mother  had  died  over  again 
when  he  went  out,  but  the  neighbours  soon  came 
in,  and  she  was  decently  laid  out.  Curry  left 
twenty  dollars  to  pay  expenses.  I  was  the  only 
mourner  at  her  funeral,  and  I  cried,  enough  for 
a  hundred ;  and  it  seemed  to  mer  the  night  after 
the  funeral,  that  I  should  just  like*  to  go  and 
throw  myself  into  the  ocean  that  poor  Curry 
sailed  on. 

"  Time  passed  on,  and  the  ring  was  a  kind  of 
comfort  to  me.  Sometimes  I  was  so  foolish  as 
c  2 


30  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

to  talk  to  it,  as  if  it  could  understand,  and  I 
would  ask  it  questions  I  wouldn't  like  to  ask 
anybody  else. 

"The  folks  told  me  I  should  get  higher 
wages  in  Boston  than  in  Salem,  and  I  have 
made  out  tolerable.  I  don't  know  how  it  was, 
it  seemed  to  me  that  I  would  give  myself  a  year 
to  hear  good  news  in,  and  I  thought  I  might  as 
well  be  laying  up  things  with  my  earnings,  when 
they  turned  up  cheap,  so  that  I  have  got  pretty 
considerable  beforehand. 

"  I  hope,  ma'am,"  said  Sally  after  a  pause, 
for  I  was  silent  from  the  emotion  her  simple 
story  caused  me — "  I  hope  you  don't  think  I've 
been  over-quick  in  my  liking.  I  heard  a  very 
good  character  of  Curry  from  the  folks  he 
lodged  with,  and  the  image  of  him  that  night 
seemed  to  take  the  place  of  my  mother's,  and 
filled  up  a  very  heavy  want  in  my  heart." 

"Oh  no,  Sally,"  said  I,  quite  charmed  with 
her  simplicity,  "  I  do  not  blame  you,  but  I  hear 
the  sound  of  a  chaise  on  the  pavement  at  the 
side  door." 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  31 

Sally's  colour  went  and  came,  but  she  an- 
swered a  sailor-like  knock  from  the  outside,  and 
I  believe  Curry  was  very  well  satisfied  with  his 
reception. 

This  was  Friday.  On  the  following  day  the 
kitchen  had  an  extra  cleaning.  I  beat  up  a  wed- 
ding cake,  and  we  made  busy  preparations  for 
Sunday  evening. 

The  bride  looked  very  sweetly  in  a  plain 
white  cambric  frock,  and  as  she  stood  beside 
Curry,  reminded  me  of  those  beautiful  figures 
we  sometimes  see  painted  on  the  sterns  of  ves- 
sels; while  he  appeared  like  the  good  stout 
ship,  which,  though  destined  to  bear  her  through 
winds  and  waves,  was  powerful  enough  to  do 
it  safely. 

When  our  good  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  La- 
throp,  asked  him  the  customary  question,  "  Will 
you  love,  protect,  and  cherish  this  woman  ?"  &c., 
Curry  was  not  content  with  the  simple  bowing 
affirmative.  Something  seemed  struggling  in 
his  mind.  He  grasped  Sally's  hand,  and  with 
such  an  utterance  as  she  told  me  he  had  used 


32  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

on  the  night  her  mother  died,  said,  "  I  will,  so 
help  me  God." 

On  Monday  morning  my  husband  presented 
Sally  with  a  large  brass  kettle,  a  common  New- 
England  present  on  such  occasions,  and  the 
happy  couple  bade  us  farewell.  As  they  rode 
away,  Curry  waved  his  red  handkerchief,  and 
Sally  put  her  new  cambric  one  to  her  eyes,  be- 
tween tears  and  smiles.  I  never  saw  my  pretty 
cook  again. 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  33 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CINDA    TYLER. 

How  now,  my  headstrong  1 
Where  have  you  been  gadding  1 

Romeo  and  Juliet. 

Frae  morn  to  e'en  its  naught  but  toiling, 
At  baking,  roasting,  frying,  boiling. 

The  Twa  Dogs.  . 

I  HAD  become  so  much  attached  to  my  gen- 
tle Sally,  that  I  was  really  quite  dispirited  at 
her  departure  ;  but,  not  being  provided  with  im- 
mediate assistance,  was  soon  engrossed  with 
household  cares.  And  let  no  one  underrate 
the  value  of  those  cares  to  an  unoccupied  or 
even  a  harassed  mind,  whose  mental  re- 
sources are  limited.  Who  has  not  seen  the 
tear  of  sorrow  dry  away  amid  their  gentle  but 
imperious  demands  ?  Who  has  not  seen  op- 
pressed and  tender  women  forget,  in  the  routine 
which  constitutes  the  comfort  'of  a  husband, 
that  husband's  unkindness  ?  And  then,  what 


34  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

an  admirable  outlet  are  household  cares  for  a 
scold !  View  that  face  screwed  up  to  modera- 
tion and  even  courtesy  at  the  breakfast  table. 
How  gracefully  is  that  cup  forwarded !  What 
gentle  accents  accompany  it !  But  the  lord 
and  master  of  the  household  departs !  Hear 
his  last  footstep,  and  then  notice  how  the  clouds 
gather  round  that  delicate  creature,  until  the 
brow  is  contracted,  the  voice  is  sharpened,  the 
eye  darts  withering  beams,  and  those  lips  open 
(shall  I  say  it  ?)  for  the  unequivocal  terms  slut 
and  hussy !  While  sometimes,  rarely  I  hope, 
the  tender  palm  comes  vibrating  in  unthought- 
of  vigour  on  some  uncovered  ear,  or  (alas  for 
delicacy !)  that  little  implement  which  once  won 
the  heart  of  an  Eastern  Prince*  is  flourished 
over  an  extended  and  trembling  hand. 

My  mother,  with  a  mother's  care,  supplied 
me  with  new  "  help."  She  was  from  Vermont, 
and  as  green  as  her  native  hills.  Cinda  Tyler 
was  her  name,  though  she  took  some  pains  to 
tell  me  she  was  christened  Lucinda. 

*  See  Cinderella,  or  the  Little  Glass  Slipper. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  35 

What  a  contrast  to  my  Sally !  No  one  could 
look  at  her  without  thinking  si  strapper,  bouncer, 
or  some  such  inelegant  association.  She  had 
carrot-coloured  hair  of  unmanageable  thickness, 
even  when  the  experiment  of  a  comb  was  tried, 
which  was  rarely  done  except  on  the  Sabbath, 
when  even  the  poorest  in  New-England  feel 
as  if  the  purity  of  the  body  should  honour 
the  day,  whatever  may  be  the  undress  of  the 
soul. 

Cinda's  arms  were  bare  and  red,  large  and 
short.  She  had  a  perpetual  look  of  eager 
curiosity.  There  were  a  few  things  I  never 
could  break  her  of.  She  invariably  nodded  her 
head  to  my  visitors,  even  if  she  had  a  dish  full 
of  meat  in  her  hand,  and  said,  "  How  fares  ye  ?" 
And  say  it  she  would,  until  an  answer  was  ex- 
torted, whatever  might  be  the  repulsive  dignity 
of  the  person  addressed.  I  endeavoured,  at  first 
by  nods  and  signs,  to  make  her  understand  that 
this  ceremony  could  be  dispensed  with,  but  all 
in  vain ;  with  her  eyes  wide  open,  she  stood  at 
my  parlour-door,  "making  her  manners"  (little 


36  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

bobbing  courtesies),  until  she  obtained  the 
sought-for  notice.  Finding  her  incorrigible 
to  hints,  I  told  her,  as  she  was  using  one  even- 
ing the  whole  artillery  of  her  politeness  on 

Judge ,  a  friend  of  my  husband's,  that  she 

might  go  out.  She  opened  her  great  gray  eyes 
wider  than  ever,  and  said,  somewhat  gruffly, 
"  I  ain't  a  goin  to  let  his  honour  s'pose  I  was 
brought  up  m'ungst  wild  criters."  His  honour, 
who  had  been  stating  a  case  of  great  interest, 
roused  by  her  voice,  perceived  her  for  the  first 
time,  and  said,  with  perfect  good-nature,  "  Ah, 
how  d'ye  do  ?"  and  Cinda  set  him  down  from 
that  moment  as  a  gentleman ;  and  so  he  was. 
It  is  that  immediate  conformity  to  the  feelings 
of  individuals  that  marks  a  gentleman  or  lady, 
whether  they  address  their  equals  or  inferiors. 

One  morning,  in  my  absence  from  home,  a 
lady  called  to  see  me,  and  Cinda,  from  sheer 
curiosity,  anticipated  little  Polly  in  going  to  the 
door. 

"Is  Mrs.  Packard  within?"  said  the  lady. 

"  No,  ma'am,"  said  Cinda,  with  great  prompt- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  37 

ness,  "  but  you'd  better  come  in  and  set  with 
me  a  spell." 

I  met  my  intended  guest  at  the  gate,  and 
could  not  account  for  her  look  of  ill-suppressed 
mirth,  until  Cinda  gave  me  a  hint  of  what  she 
called  manners  in  her  reception. 

Another  peculiarity  of  Cinda's  was  to  ex- 
amine every  new  purchase  of  mine,  and  ask  the 
price,  and  sometimes  the  ornaments  of  my 
visiters  did  not  escape  this  ordeal.  I  was  get- 
ting somewhat  wearied  with  these  oddities, 
notwithstanding  her  skill  in  washing,  hanging 
on  pots  and  kettles,  and  all  the  drudgery  of  her 
calling,  when  one  evening  a  few  ladies  visited 
me,  and  Cinda,  after  sufficient  drilling,  under- 
took to  hand  tea,  solemnly  promising  me  not  to 
address  them.  As  she  passed  from  one  to 
another,  I  felt  a  little  anxiety  at  the  look  of 
scrutiny  she  cast,  from  the  head  downward,  on 
every  individual.  Her  appearance  began  to  at- 
tract the  attention  of  my  friends,  but  she  pre- 
served silence,  until,  at  the  close  of  the  service, 
9  very  sweet-looking  girl  bent  her  blue  eye  upon 
a 


RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

Cinda  with  a  smile.  The  temptation  was  irre- 
sistible. She  had  an  empty  tray  in  her  hand, 
and  lowering  it  suddenly,  said,  "  I  guess,  miss, 
them  'ere  beads  of  your'n  cost  considerable." 
The  younger  ladies  thrust  their  pocket-hand- 
kerchiefs into  their  mouths,  and  the  elder  ones 
stared,  while  Cinda,  catching  my  eye,  and  per- 
ceiving a  frown,  cried  out,  "Lud,  Miss  Packard, 
if  I  ain't  spoke  in  the  party ;"  and  then,  with  a 
look  of  greater  horror,  "  Lud,  lud,  I've  spoke 
agin !"  then  catching  up  the  tray,  she  retreated 
in  confusion. 

It  was  impossible  for  the  most  rigid  muscles 
to  refrain  from  laughter.  The  shouts  reached 
poor  Cinda's  ears  in  her  culinary  domain,  and 
it  required  all  the  inducements  I  could  urge  to 
prevail  on  her  to  carry  the  tray  again. 

Curiosity,  which  seemed  to  be  her  master- 
passion,  prompted  her  to  try  on  the  garments  of 
others.  A  French  lady  from  St.  Domingo,  for 
whom  Edward  was  employed  in  a  law-suit, 
came  to  pass  a  few  days  with  me.  Her  dress 
was  fashionable  in  the  extreme.  It  was  Gin- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  39 

da's  province  to  arrange  the  bed-rooms  while 
we  breakfasted.  Mam'selle  Ligne  had  occa- 
sion to  leave  the  table  one  morning  in  quest  of 
her  handkerchief,  and  her  light  step  was  unper- 
ceived  by  Cinda,  who  stood  before  the  glass. 
She  had  placed  on  her  carroty  locks  Mam'selle 
Ligne's  beautiful  evening  cap,  and  thrown  a 
slight  scarf  over  her  shoulders ;  and  there  she 
stood,  with  an  air  of  the  most  complacent  satis- 
faction, gazing  at  her  own  charms.  The  joke 
was  too  good  to  be  lost.  Mam'selle  tripped 
down,  and  asking  Edward  and  myself  to  follow, 
we  all  went  up  softly,  ignorant  of  what  we  were 
to  behold. 

Human  gravity  could  not  hold  out  at  such  a 
spectacle.  Edward  gave  one  of  those  laughs 
through  his  nose  that  always  sound  louder  than 
a  natural  one,  and  poor  Cinda  started  in  dismay 
at  beholding  us.  She  took  off  the  scarf  in  her 
hurry,  but  forgot  the  cap,  which  was  of-  a  very 
light  material,  and  began  making  up  the  bed 
with  great  zeal. 

Just  at  this  crisis  the  butcher  knocked  at  the 


40  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

outer  door,  and  Cinda,  glad  to  escape,  raced 
own,  cap  and  all,  to  receive  him.  "  Holla,  Cin- 
da," said  he,  "  are  you  setting  that  'ere  cap  at 
me  ?"  This  was  too  much  for  Cinda's  nerves. 
She  caught  up  the  leg  of  lamb  he  had  extended 
to  her,  and  running  into  the  kitchen,  hid  her 
blushes  in  her  check  apron. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  41 


CHAPTER  V. 

LUCY  COOLEDGE. 

Servitude  is  honour,  not 
Disgrace,  when  falling  fortunes  make  it  needful. 

GOETHE.    Herman  and  Dorothea. 

CINDA  blundered  through  ten  months  in  my 
service,  sometimes  fretting  and  sometimes  amus- 
ing me  with  her  oddities,  before  her  curiosity 
and  love  of  change  induped  her  to  leave  me. 
At  length,  with  some  little  emotion,  she  an- 
nounced her  intention  of  removing. 

"I  know,  jtym  Packard,"  said  she,  "that 
you'll  miss  me  more  than  enough ;  such  a  bird  is 
not  to  be  caught  on  every  bough.  'Tisn't  every- 
body that  has  my  knack  at  thrashing  about 
among  the  pots  and  kettles.  I'm  not  the  person 
that  holds  a  frying-pan  with  white  gloves  on. 
But  I've  a  notion  to  see  a  little  more  of  the 
world.  Mm  Bachelor  is  going  out  to  Rox- 
bury  to  live,  and  I'm  to  try  how  she  suits  me  a 

D2 


42  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

spell.  Howsomever,  as  I  don't  want,  to  leave 
you  without  nobody,  Mr.  Tucker,  the  butcher, 
says  one  Lucy  Cooledge  is  in  petickelar  want 
of  a  sitivation,  being  as  how  old  Miss  Amory 
died  two  weeks  ago,  and  ain't  left  her  no  pro- 
vision." 

On  the  following  morning  I  had  a  conversa- 
tion with  Mr.  Tucker  about  Lucy  Cooledge. 
The  narration  interested  me,  though  I  drew  the 
inference  that  she  would  not  be  as  dexterous  in 
"  thrashing  about  among  the  pots  and  kettles" 
as  her  predecessor.  She  had  been  adopted  in 
orphan-infancy  by  Mrs.  Amory,  and  educated 
as  well  as  her  slender  means  would  permit. 
The  tendency  of  her  teaching,"  it  appeared,  was 
to  form  a  religious  character,  and  cultivate  great 
original  sensibility  in  her  young  charge.  For 
two  years,  Mrs.  Amory  had  been  lingering  with 
a  chronic  affection,  and  left  Lucy,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  without  a  shelter,  except  from  the 
charity  of  neighbours. 

"It  was  a  crying  sight,"  said  Mr.  Tucker, 
"to  see  the  poor  thing  the  day  Mrs.  Amory 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  43 

died,  looking  around  so  piteous,  as  much  as  to 
say,  '  I  have  nothing  left  now !'  She  sat  as 
still  as  could  be,  for  you  know  there  are  folks 
enough  always  busy  at  layings-out,  and  just 
watched  what  they  did  in  a  wistful  kind  of  a 
way.  I  made  a  shift  to  get  a  neighbour  to  ride 
around  with  the  meats  for  me,  first  picking  put 
a  real  tender  bit  of  mutton  for  some  broth  .for 
Miss  Lucy ;  and  made  as  good  a  bargain  as  I 
could  about  the  coffin.  I  happened  in  again 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  burying,  and  I  was 
scared  to  see  her  so  quiet.  When  her  name 
was  called  out  to  walk  with  Deacon  Hodges  as 
chief  mourner,  she  just  went  straight  forward, 
without  putting  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes, 
and  didn't  seem  to  care  to  lean  on  his  arm,  even. 
She  walked  right  on  to  the  grave,  and  gave  a 
look  as  if  she  could  not  look  far  enough,  nor 
long  enough,  and  then  came  back — but  no  cry- 
ing, not  a  drop.  She  went  into  the  sitting-room, 
where  the  chairs  still  stood,  thick  and  close, 
and  sat  down,  and  there  wasn't  one  of  us  that 
know'd  what  to  say.  You  know,  ma'am,  if  she 


44  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

had  only  took  on,  we  could  have  comforted  her. 
At  last  Deacon  Hodges'  wife  went  to  take  off  her 
bonnet,  seeing  she  didn't  move,  and  took  hold 
of  her  hand.  '  My  gracious,  Lucy,'  says  she, 
'your  hand  is  like  ice;'  and  so  it  was,  though 
it  was  a  warm  day,  and  her  cheeks  were  like 
ice*too;  and  says  she,  with  a  kind  of  shiver, 
'  My  heart  is  ice.'  They  fell  to  rubbing  her 
hands,  and  gave  her  some  wine  to  drink,  and  in 
a  half  an  hour  or  thereabouts,  she  fetched  a 
sigh,  and  large  tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks ; 
and  them  as  stood  by  wiped  them  off,  for  she 
seemed  not  to  know  that  she  was  a  crying.  She 
has  come  to  now  pretty  much,  but  has  an  ugly 
cough,  and  I  don't  like  the  look  of  her  eyes. 
Mrs.  Amory  taught  her  all  kinds  of  housework, 
and  I've  a  notion,  if  she  was  in  a  reg'lar  family, ' 
she  would  be  quite  pert  again.  A  man,  you  see, 
Miss  Packard,"  continued  Mr.  Tucker,  clear- 
ing his  throat,  "  can  worry  through  these  things, 
and  make  shift  for  a  living;  but  it's  hard  for 
young  women  to  push  on  through  thick  and 
thin." 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  45 

I  should  liave  been  glad  to  assist  Lucy  in 
a  pecuniary  way,  but  to  a  character  like  hers 
independence  was  the  better  charity;  and  as 
Cinda  had  fixed  on  the  day  for  quitting  me,  Mr 
Tucker  promised  to  engage  a  seat  in  the  New- 
ton stage  for  her  to  Boston. 

The  stage  arrived  about  ten  o'clock  on  foe 
day  appointed,  and  Lucy  was  the  only  pas- 
senger. It  was  a  great  unwieldy  vehicle,  with- 
out glasses,  the  leathern  curtains  napping  all 
around,  the  worn  cushions  as  slippery  as  glass, 
and  so  little  spring  in  its  construction,  that  Lu- 
cy's slight  figure  was  thrown  from  side  to  side 
as  the  horses,  for  city  display,  whisked  up  to 
the  door. 

She  was  dressed  in  simple  mourning.  There 
was  no  affectation  of  better  days  about  her; 
she  entered  the  kitchen  as  the  scene  of  her 
duties  with  quiet  gravity,  and  went  through  her 
work  with  precision  and  fidelity,  and  only  on 
Sunday  evenings  allowed  herself  the  luxury  of 
reading. 

Servants'  apartments,  in  New-England,  are 


46  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

always  in  the  house  with  the  family ;  Lucy's 
bed-room  was  near  mine,  and  every  night  be- 
fore she  retired,  for  three  months,  we  heard  her 
sweet  voice  in  an  evening  hymn.  Gradually, 
however,  from  five  or  six  verses  she  diminished 
to  one,  until  at  last  no  music  was  heard ;  but  a 
h^ptrse,  deep  cough  broke  in  even  on  my  mid- 
night slumbers. 

Still  she  moved  on  in  her  daily  duties,  though 
I  could  not  but  regard  with  anxiety  the  colour 
that  lit  her  cheek  at  evening,  and  made  her  in- 
tellectual face  even  beautiful.  I  gradually 
lightened  her  heavier  employments,  and  gave 
her  sewing  in  the  parlour,  for  Polly  had  by  this 
time  become  familiar  with  my  arrangements,  and 
with  occasional  assistance  was  strong  enough 
to  engage  in  carrying  them  out. 

But  Lucy  drooped  daily,  struggling  on;  I 
was§  often  obliged  to  take  her  work  from  her 
forcibly,  so  conscientious  was  she.  I  sent  for 
a  physician.  She  met  him  with  a  gentle  smile. 
After  parting  with  her,  he  said  to  me,  "  There 
has  been  some  heart-sickness  in  this  case,  I 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  47 

suspect. — There  is  a  fine  organization  in  some 
systems,  tending  to  early  decay,  and  yielding 
alike  to  mental  and  bodily  pressure ;  and  hers 
is  of  that  stamp.  The  case  is  a  call  on  your 
charity,  and  I  will  cheerfully  co-operate  with 
you." 

When  I  returned  to  the  parlour,  Lucy  had 
laid  her  sewing  on  her  lap,  and  sat  with  her 
hands,  folded,  as  in  revery. 

"  I  see,  by  your  countenance,  Mrs.  Packard," 
said  she,  "what  Dr.  Webster  thinks  of  my 
case,  and  I  am  not  very  sorry.  I  am  only 
sorry  because  I  shall  be  a  source  of  care  and 
anxiety,  in  such  a  scene  of  quiet  happiness  as 
your  house  always  presents. 

"To  me,  dear  madam,"  continued  she,  after 
a  pause,  turning  her  large  dark  eyes  upwards, 
"  to  me,  to  die  is  gain? 

I  had  been  educated  religiously,  attended 
church  regularly,  learned  appropriate  cate- 
chisms and  hymns,  and  found  in  the  example  of 
my  dear  mother  the  best  of  all  instruction; 
but  I  had  never  suffered,  never  seen  death  in 

'     ' 


48  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

any  form,  and  my  religion  was  the  overflowing 
of  gratitude,  not  the  want  of  poor  humanity.  I 
could  not  realize  the  force  of  Lucy's  expres- 
sion. To  be  willing  to  leave  this  bright  world, 
so  full  of  the  blossoms  of  hope  and  love,  to  quit 
the  pure  air,  and  the  bright  skies,  and  be  the 
mouldering  tenant  of  the  solitary  tomb — how 
could  it  be  gain?  I  looked  at  her  thin  pale 
cheek  inquiringly,  and  could  not  restrain  my 
tears. 

Lucy  smiled  sadly — "  Life  appears,"  said  she, 
"  very  differently  to  one  who,  like  you,  enjoys 
the  sympathy  of  friends,  of  such  friends  too ! 
I  am  now  only  a  weed  on  the  stream  of  time. 
When  I  pass  into  the  ocean  of  eternity,  who 
knows  but  that  I  may  be  attached  to  something 
bright  and  beautiful  too  ?" 

From  that  moment,  that  httle  moment  of 
heart  and  sensibility,  my  relations  with  Lucy 
assumed  a  different  aspect.  I  drew  a  chair 
near  her — "  Lucy,"  I  said,  cheerfully,  "  1  will 
be  the  beautiful  thing  to  which  you  shall  be  at- 
tached in  this  world ;  so  do  not  talk  of  another, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  49 

dear."  I  was  checked  by  the  pressure  of  her 
thin  hand,  where  even  labour  had  not  been 
able  to  shade  the  blue  veins,  so  light  was  their 
covering. 

From  the  moment  that  this  delicate  chain  of 
sympathy  was  thrown  over  our  minds,  there  was 
a  quiet  but  distinct  course  of  action  between  us. 
My  part  was  to  strengthen  and  animate  her  sink- 
ing frame.  I  brought  her  fresh  flowers,  new 
books,  kind  friends,  and  little  luxuries  that  cool 
the  feverish  lip ;  but  Lucy  had  a  higher  task  to 
perform.  It  was,  to  direct  my  thoughts  to  a 
feeling  of  the  value  and  necessity  of  Christianity; 
to  teach  me  to  subdue  the  idolatry  of  my  affec- 
tions, and  give  them  a  spiritual  bias. 

She  spoke  of  Edward  as  a  "  being  of  soul, 
a  candidate  for  immortality." — "  He  is  too  beau- 
tiful for  the  grave,  Lucy,"  said  I ;  "  I  can  never, 
never  let  him  die. — I  can  go  myself,  if  God 
calls  me,  but  I  cannot  spare  him ;  that  manly 
form,  those  high  and  generous  feelings,  that 
warm,  warm  heart, — oh,  they  are  my  life.  Talk 
to  me  of  any  thing  but  the  death  of  Edward !" 


50  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

Still  she  gently  recurred  to  high  and  spiritual 
topics,  and  led  my  thoughts  at  times  beyond 
earthly  affections.  She  marked  passages  in  the 
Bible  of  the  most  attractive  character  for  me  to 
read  to  her,  and,  when  her  cough  would  allow, 
breathed  out  a  hymn  in  sweet  and  happy  strains, 
in  which  I  soon  loved  to  join.  Time  wore 
away,  and  she  revived  a  little  with  reviving 
spring.  She  still  had  strength  to  carry  her 
plants  from  window  to  window  to  catch  the 
sunbeams,  and  could  sit  to  watch  the  twilight  in 
its  dying  glory. 

But  soon  she  failed  again,  and  one  night 
Edward  and  I  were  awaked  to  go  to  her.  She 
could  but  whisper  to  us  as  we  bent  over  her, 
"  Do  not  love  each  other  too  well.  Pray  with 
and  for  each  other.  Forget  not  that  Christ 
lived  and  died  for  you.  I  shall  expect  you 
both,  both — in  Heaven."  And  thus  she  died. 

One  favour  only  had  she  asked  of  us.  It  was 
that  she  might  be  buried  in  the  country  church- 
yard of  her  native  town. 

"I  would  have  overcome  that  little  prefer- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  51 

ence,"  she  once  said,  "  did  I  not  know  there  is 
something  soothing  in  complying  with  the 
wishes  of  the  dying.  How  idle  a  fancy,"  she 
continued,  smiling,  "to  wish  that  trees  should 
wave  and  birds  sing  over  this  wasted  form  ;  but 
nature  has  been  so  lovely  to  me  that  I  have  a 
kind  of  gratitude  to  her,  and  it  is  sweet  to  think 
that  I  shall  repose  among  those  objects  which 
God  has  given  me  sensibility  to  enjoy." 

She  was  carried  to  her  favourite  resting-place. 
From  that  period  a  religious  repose  chastened 
the  intense  tenderness  of  our  hearts,  as  we  re- 
membered Lucy's  character  and  death;  and 
when  we  occasionally  left  the  city  to  breathe 
the  country  air,  our  souls  were  refreshed  by  a 
visit  to  her  grave. 


52  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  VI. 

JEALOUSY. 

Ever  at  early  dawn,  and  close  of  day, 
Oh  !  be  Amanda's  toil  to  thine  allied — 
Labour  shall  lead  me  smiling  by  thy  side, 

So  but  a  smile  of  thine  my  toil  repay. 

WlELAND. 

MY  next  domestic  trial  was  unconnected 
with  household  cares.  My  "help"  was  "the 
perfectest  pattern  of  excelling"  housekeepers, 
and  my  affairs  went  on  like  clockwork.  Our 
meals  "came  like  spirits."  No  half-cooked 
potatoes  betrayed  a  cold  and  hard  heart  beneath 
a  soft  surface — no  half-picked  poultry  came  to 
the  table  as  if  reluctant  to  resign  the  feathery 
insignia.  The  amalgamation  of  sauces  and 
gravies  was  like  the  intercourse  of  society, 
where  the  piquant  is  softened  by  the  modest, 
and  the  feeble  animated  by  the  strong.  My 
windows  were  clear  as  a  good  conscience,  my 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  53 

brasses  bright  as  ready  wit,  and  like  Narcissus 
in  the  stream,  I  half  fell  in  love  with  myself  in 
the  polished  mahogany. 

From  whence  then  came  the  cloud  to  shade 
this  happy  picture?  I  was  jealous.  Not  of 
women,  for  my  husband  not  only  professed  to 
love  me,  but  treated  me  with  remarked  atten- 
tion in  the  society  of  others ;  and  often  when  I 
saw  married  men  display  their  gallantry  to  any 
but  their  wives,  I  felt  proud  of  those  prefer- 
ring attentions,  which  Edward  directly,  but 
without  display,  tendered  me.  My  jealousy, 
and  I  write  it  with  half  a  blush,  was  of 
books. 

Edward  was  becoming  an  ambitious  lawyer. 
His  singleness  of  character  and  clearness  of  in- 
tellect gained  him  unexpected  friends,  and  the 
strongest  efforts  of  his  mind  were  directed  to 
eminence  in  his  profession.  Gradually,  book 
by  book  was  brought  from  the  office.  Black- 
stone  was  on  one  window-seat,  Coke  upon  Lit- 
tleton on  another,  and  Chilly's  Pleadings  lum- 
bered the  well-dusted  mantelpiece.  An  in- 
E2 


54  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

stinctive  regard  and  respect  for  my  feelings 
prevented  his  passing  his  evenings  abroad ;  but 
he  read  and  read,  while  I  silently  pursued  my 
sewing,  until  at  last  the  heavy  whitish  looking 
volumes  were  laid  on  the  breakfast  or  tea-table, 
beside  the  cup  of  coffee,  which  was  often  al- 
lowed to  cool  before  it  was  tasted.  He  no  longer 
asked  me  for  a  song  at  evening;  and  when 
I  found  my  voice  unheard  by  him,  I  shut  the 
harpsichord  in  disgust.  Our  sunset  walk  was 
often  forgotten;  and  when  I  sometimes  said, 
"  Come,  Edward,  I  am  ready ;"  he  answered, 
"  Yes,  dear,  directly — just  let  me  finish  this  para- 
graph." The  paragraph  might  be  finished,  but 
I,  sitting  in  silence,  felt  a  languor  steal  over  me ; 
and  when  in  a  half  hour  he  closed  his  book, 
and  said  briefly,  "What — are  you  waiting? 
Let  us  go,"  the  walk  seemed  heavy,  and  the 
twilight  sad.  Perhaps,  had  I  rallied  him,  he 
might  have  perceived  that  he  was  trying  a  dan- 
gerous, though  unintentional  experiment  with  a 
devoted  heart ;  or  had  I  seriously  opened  my 
feelings,  he  would  probably  have  understood 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  55 

them ;  but  I  was  ashamed,  and  tried  to  think 
that  /was  unreasonable,  and  he  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  duty.  I  remembered  that  it  was  for 
my  subsistence  he  toiled,  and  lingered  through 
even  the  midnight  hour. 

But  with  a  feeling  of  unconquerable  dim" 
dence  in  the  expression  of  my  thoughts,  I  grew 
reserved.  My  step  was  slow  and  careful,  or 
-quick  and  agitated,  and  I  sometimes  said  cut- 
ting things  in  the  impatience  of  my  spirit.  He 
was  all  truth  and  openness,  and  occasionally 
looked  perplexed  at  my  manner. 

"  I  should  think  you  were  unhappy,"  said  he 
one  day  to  me,  after  he  had  been  studying  a  hor- 
rid looking,  parchment-covered  book,  at  the 
breakfast-table,  "  if  I  did  not  see  every  thing 
around  you  appearing  so  cheerful  and  comfort- 
able. There  never  was  such  a  sweet  home  as 
ours." 

My  eyes  filled  with  tears,  but  I  hid  them  and 
was  silent. 

"  Clarissa,"  said  he,  "you  look  thin,  and  now 
I  think  of  it  I  am  afraid  your  appetite  is  not 


56  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

good.  Those  nice  cakes,  did  you  eat  some  this 
morning?" 

"We  had  toast  for  breakfast,"  I  replied;  be- 
fore I  could  say  more,  he  was  absorbed  in  his 
book. 

I  took  my  sewing,  that  I  might  be  with  him 
the  half  hour  before  he  went  out.  Just  at  this 
period  a  little  boy  who  lived  opposite,  and  who 
was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  us  frequently,  came 
in,  and  began  his  customary  prattle. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Packard,"  said  little  John,  running 
to  him,  "  let  me  see  that  book." 

"  What  for,"  said  my  husband,  keeping  his 
finger  on  a  paragraph. 

"Why,  because,"  said  the  rogue,  "aunt 
Clara  (the  name  he  always  gave  me),  aunt 
Clara  got  angry  with  it  yesterday." 

"  Angry,  my  boy ;  how  so  ?"  said  he. 

"Why,  sir,  after  you  had  done  sipping  your 
coffee,  with  the  big  book  by  your  plate,  and  took 
your  hat  and  walked  out  like  a  judge,  ^he  went 
to  gather  the  cups  to  wash,  and  when  she  came 
to  the  big  white  book  by  your  cup  she  dashed 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  57 

it  down  on  a  chair,  and  said,  '  I  hate  you !'  and 
looked  as  if  she  was  going  to  cry." 

Edward  leaned  his  head  a  moment  over  the 
chair  on  which  he  sat,  and  mused.  I  sewed  as 
if  life  hung  on  my  needle. 

"  Clarissa,"  he  said,  at  length,  with  a  sweet 
earnest  voice  and  look,  taking  my  hands  in  his, 
"  I  know  now  what  is  the  matter  with  you.  I 
have  been  to  blame,  dearest,  in  not  consulting 
more  affectionately  the  feelings  of  my  own 
wife.  It  was  not  enough,  it  ought  not  to  be 
enough  for  me,  to  have  given  you  comforts  and 
luxuries;  you  require  sympathy.  You  have 
been  struggling  with  the  wants  of  your  heart. 
I  wish  I  had  understood  them  before.  As  for 
this  book,"  said  he,  playfully,  "  I  cannot  '  hate 
it,'  since  it  has  given  me  such  a  revelation  of 
my  duty." 

From  that  period  his  deportment  at  home  had 
a  perpetual  view  to  my  happiness  and  improve- 
ment. He  brought  books  to  read  to  me,  calcu- 
lated to  interest  while  they  elevated  my  lit- 
erary taste.  He  referred  to  me  for  opinions, 


58  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

and  by  sounding  the  depth  and  power  of  my 
intellect,  found,  that  under  his  guidance  there 
were  occasions  when  even  my  advice  might 
avail  him.  When  a  case  occurred  which  obliged 
him  to  study  at  home,  he  detailed  it  in  sim- 
ple terms  to  me,  told  me  the  course  he  should 
pursue,  and  its  probable  results  ;  while,  satisfied 
and  happy,  I  would  sit  by  his  side  like  Klop- 
stock's  Meta,  "looking  so  still  in  his  sweet 
face."  Understanding  his  conduct  and  feel- 
ings, I  began  to  be  ambitious  for  him.  Step 
by  step  he  mounted  the  ladder  of  fame.  I  saw 
all  eyes  gazing  on  him  with  delight,  heard  every 
lip  echoing  applause;  and  those  sights  and 
sounds  were  doubly  dear  to  me,  for  I  knew 
every  spring  that  moved  his  noble  heart,  and 
that  his  thoughts  were  mine  before  they  were 
the  world's. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  59 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GREASE. 

Chattels  which,  yesterday,  good  housewifery 
Had  rang'd,  in  cleanly  and  delightful  order, 
Lay  now  disjointed,  broken,  rent. — GOETHE. 

IN  the  subject  I  am  about  to  introduce,  I  am 
confident  of  the  sympathy  of  housekeepers.— 
The  theme  is  grease,  which,  if  I  may  be  al- 
lowed a  poor  pun,  has  produced  as  many  do 
mestic  disturbances  in  modern,  as  it  did  politi- 
cal in  ancient  times.  Who  can  tell  the  amount 
of  temper  that  has  been  roused  by  this  evil, 
from  the  single  drop  of  lamp  oil  on  the  finger, 
to  which  the  olfactory  sense,  though  driven 
back,  returns  with  painful  tenacity,  to  the  mass 
which,  sinking  in  your  white  floor,  looks  fresher, 
like  the  stain  on  Blue  Beard's  key,  for  many 
a  scouring  ? 

I  hope  I  may  be  excused  here  for  a  homely 
piece  of  advice,  which  is,  that  wives  should  not 


60  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

only  keep  the  lamps  of  their  souls  trimmed 
and  burning,  but  attend  to  that  department  in 
their  household  economy.  If  they  do  not,  their 
husbands  may  as  well  sit  down  to  sup  with  the 
ladies  of  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound,  whom  Cap- 
tain Cook  describes  as  not  only  "  drinking  the 
oil  from  his  lamps,  but  eating  the  cotton  wick." 
In  return  for  the  various  attentions  we  had  re- 
ceived, Edward  and  myself  sent  out  invitations 
for  an  evening  party.  We  had  not  the  facilities 
for  lighting  our  rooms  .  which  make  it  so  little 
trouble  now,  by  sending  for  a  professor  in  the 
art,  to  produce  a  blaze  that  shall  cast  no  sha- 
dow; but  we  treated  ourselves  to  an  astral 
lamp,  they  having  been  newly  brought  to  this 
country.  Being  somewhat  ambitious  of  intel- 
lectual display,  and  the  time  beginning  to  pass 
away  when  ladies  did  not  feel  themselves  pinned 
to  the  same  seat  for  three  hours,  we  man- 
aged, by  buying  and  borrowing,  to  collect  some 
amusing  novelties ;  among  them  was  a  magni- 
fying glass,  with  splendid  Italian  views.  These 
were  arranged  on  the  sofa  table,  illuminated 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  61 

by  our  new  lamp,  which  attracted  universal 
admiration.  The  Italian  views  became  the 
chief  subject  of  attention,  but  alas !  as  our  guests 
crowded  around  the  table  it  was  suddenly  over- 
thrown, and  the  lamp  shattered  to  pieces.  Satin 
slippers  and  gentlemen's  pumps  received  the 
indiscriminate  shower  of  oil,  and  the  beautiful 
engravings  coming  in  for  a  share,  a  young  beau, 
who  never  lost  a  pun,  even  in  calamity,  whis- 
pered to  me  that  they  were  "  oil  paintings." 

A  general  shock  was  given  to  our  before 
complacent  group ;  first  were  circulated  whis- 
pered complaints  and  commiseration,  then  in  a 
louder  tone  followed  details  of  similar  misfor- 
tunes, and  recipes  for  extracting  them. 

I  contrived  to  affect  great  indifference,  and 
Edward  got  up  his  best  jokes,  but  after  a  strug- 
gle at  general  sociability  the  company  retired, 
and  left  us,  at  an  earlier  period  than  we  expected, 
gazing  on  the  wreck. 

It  is  easy  to  preserve  a  sweet  smile  in  the 
presence  of  fifty  people,  but  the  test  of  good 

nature  follows  in  a  tete-d-ttie. 

r 


62  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"  What  an  awkward  wretch  that  Mason  is," 
said  Edward.  "I  wish  people  would  not  go 
into  society  until  they  are  civilized !" 

"  I  am  surprised  at  your  blaming  Mr.  Mason," 
said  I.  "  It  was  Miss  Otis  who  knocked  over  the 
table — that  girl  thinks  she  must  be  first  in  every 
thing." 

"Mrs.  Packard,  I  am  confident  that  it  was 
Mr.  Mason,"  returned  Edward. 

"  Mr.  Packard,"  replied  I,  "  I  saw  Miss  Otis  do 
it  with  my  own  eyes." 

"  Women  are  always  obstinate,"  said  he,  turn- 
ing away. 

"  And  men  are  always  domineering,"  I  an- 
swered, in  the  same  tone. 

There  ended  our  first  party,  and  began  our 
first  quarrel ;  but  it  seemed  so  odd,  that  turning 
round,  our  eyes  met,  and  we  burst  out  into  un- 
affected laughter. 

I  will  not  enter  into  a  detail  of  similar  mis- 
fortunes. Who  has  not,  after  long  deliberation, 
purchased  a  set  of  expensive  lamps,  only  to 
suffocate  himself  or  his  friends  with  smoke  ? — 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  63 

Who  has  not  heard  his  glass  shades  pop  one  after 
another,  with  a  report  as  harassing  as  the  small 
,  arms  of  an  enemy  ?  Who  has  not  welcomed 
"  the  tall  mould  candle  straight  and  round,"  while 
the  costly  lamp,  that  gave  for  five  minutes  a 
gleam  of  light,  is 

"Wisely  kept  for  show." 

But  I  have  other  themes  of  varied  trouble  to 
relate.  One  commencement  day  a  large  party 
assembled  to  dine  with  us,  after  the  college 
exercises.  Edward  had  presented  me  with  a 
new  silk  dress.  It  was  a  rare  and  important 
addition  to  my  wardrobe,  and  I  made  my  toilet 
with  many  resolutions  to  be  careful  of  it.  As 
I  sat  at  the  table,  with  the  consciousness  of  a 
well-ordered  dinner  and  an  appropriate  dress, 
whose  value  to  me  was  doubly  enhanced  by  its 
being  Edward's  choice,  one  of  the  waiters, 
with  a  zeal  worthy  of  a  better  cause,  jostled  by 
another,  who  was  reaching  above  my  shoulder 
to  deposite  a  gravy-boat,  and  knocked  it  over.  I 
felt  the  warm  stream  trickle  through  my  lace 


64  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

tippet,  and  saw  it  pour  into  my  lap.  SelcTi  la 
regie,  I  was  obliged  either  not  to  notice  or  make 
a  jest  of  it.  I  had  the  resolution  not  to  look  at 
the  servant  (how  often  have  I  seen  looks  speak 
more  than  words !)  and  turning  quietly  to  my 
left-hand  neighbour,  I  said,  "  Pray,  sir,  excuse 
my  being  helped  first." 

A  short  period  only  elapsed  before  Edward 
was  called  upon  to  sympathize  with  me  in  a 
similar  experience.  Being  invited  to  a  ceremo- 
nious party,  he  mounted  a  new  coat.  I  could 
perceive  considerable  complacency  in  his  man- 
ner of  pulling  down  the  waist  and  turning  out 
the  collar.  He  was  in  excellent  spirits  through 
the  evening,  and  on  his  return  said,  laughing, 

"  Either  I  or  my  new  coat  was  a  great  favour- 
ite this  evening,  for  my  friends  certainly  re- 
garded me  with  uncommon  interest." 

"  And  well  they  might !"  I  exclaimed,  in  alarm, 
on  looking  at  him,  "  for  you  have  half  of  one  of 
Mrs.  Winthrop's  candles  streaming  down  from 
your  collar  to  your  elbow." 

Poor  Edward  was  thrown  all  aback.     "  Hang 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  65 

it,"  said  he,  quite  off  his  guard,  "  I  can  inter- 
pret their  looks  now.  They  could  not  quite  re- 
solve to  tell  me  what  a  figure  I  cut,  and  I 
thought  they  were  admiring  my  genteel  person, 
while  I  was  strutting  about  with  the  sign  of  a 
tallow-chandler  on  my  shoulder." 

Speaking  of  a  new  coat  reminds  me  of  an 
anecdote  of  Mr.  Shaw,  a  literary  friend  of  ours. 
In  the  pride  of  his  heart  he  too  put  on  a  coat 
fresh  from  the  tailor's,  to  attend  a  party,  and  while 
bowing  to  the  ladies,  an  acquaintance  tapping 
him  on  the  shoulder  said,  "  Shaw,  your  coat 
was  very  reasonable,"  pointing  at  the  same 
time  to  the  tailor's  mark,  which  was  pinned 
conspicuously  on  the  skirt. 

When  albums  were  first  in  vogue,  a  choice 
one  was  sent  us  for  our  contributions.  I  have 
always  loved  albums,  much  as  they  have  been 
ridiculed.  They  seem  to  me  the  leading-strings 
of  literature,  and  it  interests  me  to  see  the  ar- 
dour of  a  young  lady,  when,  opening  the  gilt 
leaves,  she  finds  there  sentiments  dedicated  to 

her  alone.     Wo  to  him  who  shall  dare  to  trace 
F2 


66  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

impure  characters  on  those  unsullied  leaves! 
Indeed,  so  sacred  are  they,  that  though  folly  often 
intrudes  upon  them,  vice  rarely  profanes  them. 
The  album  sent  us  was  elegantly  bound,  and 
enriched  by  contributions  from  native  poets.  Ed- 
ward and  I  communicated  our  mite  immediately. 
It  is  a  good  rule.  The  next  day  I  looked  at  the 
book  to  review  what  I  had  written,  but  what 
was  my  dismay  at  finding  its  beautiful  pages 
discoloured  with  lamp  oil.  Down  it  had  streamed 
over  a  sentimental  effusion  of  Wilde;  Per- 
cival's  wing  was  clogged,  and  even  Bryant's 
purity  was  marred  by  the  contact. 

"  I  did  not  think  to  shed  a  tear" 

over  my  silk  frock  or  Edward's  coat,  but  this 
was  really  alarming.  An  album  I  could  pur- 
chase, but  how  restore  the  handwriting  of  those 
poets  on  which  I  knew  the  enthusiastic  owner 
loved  to  dwell  with  natural  pride  ?  I  summoned 
Becky  Rand,  "my  woman  in  the  kitchen," 
(the  New-England  circumlocution  for  cook). 

She  confessed  that  after  I  had  retired  she 
thought  it  would  do  no  harm  to  read  a  little, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  67 

and  being  "dozy,"  she  let  the  kitchen  lamp  fall 
on  the  book  and  "  il'd"  it. 

I  suspected  as  much  from  Becky's  literary 
taste.  I  had  often  observed  a  volume  of  "  Zim- 
merman on  Solitude,"  covered  with  blue  home- 
spun, lying  on  the  dresser,  and  once,  being  in 
want  of  a  skewer,  detected  one  put  for  a  mark 
at  the  following  anecdote. 

"The  celebrated  Armelle,  who  died  in  the 
convent  of  Vannes,  was  placed  by  her  parents, 
who  were  villagers,  as  a  menial  servant  in  the 
house  of  a  neighbouring  gentleman,  with  whom 
she  lived  five-and-thirty  years  (just  Becky's 
age).  During  this  time  his  groom,  finding  the 
kitchen-door  fastened,  had  the  curiosity  to  peep 
through  the  keyhole,  where  he  discovered  the 
pious  maid  hi  a  paroxysm  of  divine  ecstasy, 
spitting  a  fowl.  The  youth  was  so  much 
affected  by  this  religious  fervour,  that  he  devoted 
himself  to  a  convent." 

Becky  was  very  sentimental,  and  usually 
had  an  interjectional  remark  whenever  I  entered 
the  kitchen. 


68  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"  Oh,  ma'am,"  said  she  to  me  one  day,  point- 
ing to  a  bean  she  had  trained  over  her  kitchen 
window,  "how  can  the  human  natur's  heart 
help  for  to  see  how  miraculous  beans  is !" 

I  did  not  ridicule  Becky's  sentimentalities, 
but  found  pleasure  in  moralizing  over  the  prog- 
ress of  her  bean  vine,  and  even  kept  my  coun- 
tenance when,  the  morning  after  a  frost,  she  as- 
sumed a  pensive  attitude,  and  said,  "  ah,  Miss 
Packard,  so  frail  is  the  human  natur's  life  of 
a  bean !" 

I  heard,  however,  a  conversation  between 
herself  and  Polly,  as  we  were  preparing  for  a 
guest  at  dinner,  that  completely  excited  my 
risibility. 

"Who  is  coming  here  to  day  ?"  said  Polly. 

"  A  tutor  from  Cambridge,"  answered  Becky. 

"  What  is  a  tutor  ?"  asked  Polly 

"  Mercy '  child,  don't  you  know?"  said  Becky, 
"  why,  a  person  that  tutes !" 

Becky's  sentimentalism  was  not  confined  to 
her  bean  vine.  She  rarely  took  up  the  gridiron 
without  a  sigh  over  the  remains  of  the  beef  and 


A  HOUSEKEEPER  69 

poultry,  and  one  would  think  from  her  looks  she 
was  about  to  bear  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Law- 
rence on  its  well  scraped  parallels. 

But  the  place  where  her  mind  was  most  under 
my  inspection  was  the  ironing-table,  where, 
as  Mr.  Packard's  shirts  and  cravats  were  my 
first  care,  I  felt  a  feminine  pride  in  smoothing 
their  snowy  texture. 

Many  were  the  experiences  detailed  by 
Becky  as  we  gave  the  sheets  a  finishing  snap  in 
folding,  or  wielded  our  irons  with  the  skill  of 
artists. 

And  when  on  Tuesday  evening1  every  article 
was  translated  to  its  appropriate  drawer,  and 
Becky  sat  by  the  kitchen  fire,  at  her  pine  table, 
with  her  mending,  I  have  often  heard  her  say, 

"  Polly,  child,  always  regulate  your  concerns 
in  the  day,  and  then  when  you  come  to  set  by 
your  taper  (looking  at  the  small  tallow  candle), 
you  can  have  time  to  meditate  on  the  human 
natur's  heart." 

Alas,  for  romance  !  Becky  married  my  butch- 
er, and  became  Mrs.  Ichabod  Whittemore ! 


70  RECOLLECTIONS  OP 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  FIRST-BORN. 

As  mine  own  shadow  was  this  child  to  me, 
A  second  self,  far  dearer,  and  more  fair. 

SHELLEY. 

THERE  can  be  but  few  domestic  trials,  com- 
paratively speaking,  without  children.  In  their 
absence,  that  combination  of  articles  expres- 
sively designated  clutter,  seldom  alarms  the 
eagle-eyed  housewife.  From  day  to  day,  from 
week  to  week,  from  year  to  year,  may  she  de- 
scend to  the  breakfast-table  with  her  smooth 
morning  dress,  her  well  combed  hair,  and  her 
face  un wrinkled  by  nursing  vigils. 

Such  was  my  happy  predicament  until  Mas- 
ter Frederick  Packard  entered  on  the  before 
tranquil  scene,  when  forthwith  appeared  an  ac- 
companying train  of  vials,  fennel-seed,  and 
pap.  He  was  blessed  from  the  moment  of  his 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  71 

birth  with  a  pair  of  lungs  that  needed  no  De- 
mosthenean  pebbles  to  bring  them  into  play. 
Two-thirds  of  the  time  his  face  was  in  lines  as 
thick  as  the  rivers  on  a  well-drawn  map,  and  his 
roaring  brought  kind  inquiries  from  the  neigh- 
bours "  if  any  thing  was  the  matter  with  the 
baby  ?"  His  father  nattered  himself  that  he 
was  destined  to  make  a  noise  in  the  world,  and 
descanted  long  and  loud  (for  we  were  obliged 
to  speak  at  "the  top  of  our  voices")  on  the 
kindness  of  Providence  in  permitting  infants  to 
scream,  since  it  was  necessary  to  the  healthy 
action  of  the  lungs ;  he  added,  moreover,  that 
all  sensible  children  were  cross,  and  that  his 
mother  had  often  said  he  was  the  most  fretful 
child  in  the  world. 

Polly,  now  thirteen  years  of  age,  succeeded 
the  regular  nurse  in  assisting  me  to  attend  my 
little  boy,  and  if  ever  any  one,  with  the  kindest 
intentions,  had  a  knack  at  making  a  child  scream, 
it  was  she,  notwithstanding  my  woman  in  the 
kitchen  would  occasionally  put  her  hrad  into  the 
parlour  door  and  call  out,  "  Polly,  Polly,  why 


72  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

don't  you  s hue*  the  child  ?"  but  alas  !  Polly's 
sole  ability  lay  in  trotting  and  walking,  walking 
and  trotting,  with  all  the  energy  of  human  mus- 
cles ;  her  last  resource,  and  it  was  often  effect- 
ual, was  to  sit  on  a  particularly  hard  chair,  and 
rock  backward  and  forward  on  an  uncarpeted 
floor.  At  each  jolt  Master  Frederick's  voice 
grew  fainter  and  fainter,  until  at  length,  over- 
powered by  superior  physical  strength,  he 
dropped  asleep,  and  looked  as  if  no  storm  had 
ever  hung  over  his  placid  brow. 

How  beautiful  is  the  sleep  of  infancy,  with 
its  breathing  like  the  uplifting  of  lily  leaves  on 
a  summer  wave  !  It  would  be  sculpture-like, 
did  not  the  motion  of  the  lips  betray  a  sweet 
remembrance  of  its  natural  wants, 

"  As  the  shifting  visions  sweep, 
Amid  its  innocent  rest." 

Edward  often  stole  from  his  office  at  the  hour 
of  our  infant's  slumber,  and  we  knelt  together 
by  his  cradle,  our  thoughts  leaping  from  baby- 

*  Probably  meaning  kuth. 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  73 

hood  to  manhood,  living  long,  long  years  in  that 
lingering  gaze.  He  always  blessed  us  by 
awaking  with  a  smile.  An  unutterable  sweet- 
ness played  over  his  lips,  and  his  hands  were 
outstretched  in  gentle  joy. 

"  His  hair  is  growing  darker.  He  will  look 
like  you,  Clarissa." 

"  No,  Edward,  his  cradle  shades  it.  See 
now,  as  I  turn  it  to  the  light,  your  own  sunny 
brown,  and  Polly  thinks  his  eyes  are  blue." 

To  this  day  the  point  is  not  settled.  '  Frede- 
rick, who  is  now  a  successor  in  his  father's 
office,  has  dark  eyes  when  shaded  by  fatigue  or 
sorrow,  but  in  health  and  joy  they  light  up  with 
his  father's  hue. 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Packard's  arguments 
about  expanding  the  chest,  and  though  he  was 
as  brave  as  a  lion,  and,  in  the  old  uniform  of 
"  The  Ancient  and  Honourable  Artillery,"  white 
broadcloth,  faced  with  red,  with  a  gold-laced 
chapeau  bras,  he  looked  as  though 

"  his  eye 

Could  create  soldiers,  and  make  women  fight," 
G 


74  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

yet  was  he  a  mere  coward  when  Frederick 
opened  his  infantile  battery  of  screams ;  and 
from  this  weakness  arose  the  uncomfortable 
habit  of  walking  with  him  at  night.  Even 
after  my  husband  became  Judge  Packard,  you 
might  have  seen  his  honour  at  the  dead  of  night, 
with  a  half  naked  baby  in  his  arms,  whose  whims 
increased  in  proportion  to  their  indulgence.  For 
myself,  I  scarcely  knew  whether  to  laugh  or 
weep  one  night,  when,  as  peeping  from  my 
comfortable  pillow,  I  saw  the  judge  dividing 
the  remains  of  a  cold  turkey  between  little  Mar- 
tha, my  eldest  daughter,  and  her  brother.  Fred 
was  then  four  years  old. 

When  Frederick  ceased  to  be  fretful,  he  be- 
came mischievous.  By  a  well-timed  slap,  I 
cured  him  of  some  daydawn  experiments  on 
me ;  but  his  favourite  plaything  at  that  hour,  so 
delightful  for  repose  after  a  disturbed  night,  was 
his  father's  nose ;  and  when  with  a  groan  or 
remonstrance  he  turned  away,  the  boy's  scream 
became  so  tremendous  that  the  nasal  toy  was 
restored. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  75 

Nothing  is  more  helpless  than  a  kind-hearted 
man  with  a  passionate  child.  Its  very  weak- 
ness is  its  strength,  and  though  one  finger  of 
his  masculine  hand  could  terminate  its  existence, 
yet  the  infant's  feeblest  touch  can  conquer  both 
body  and  mind. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  theorize  on  the  sub- 
ject of  managing  children ;  I  am  simply  prac- 
tical. When  Frederick  was  a  week  old,  his 
father  brought  home  the  treatises  of  Hamilton, 
West,  Edgeworth,  &c.  on  education.  I  had 
previously  seen  him  poring  over  Rousseau  and 
Xenophon.  He  read  them  faithfully,  and  dis- 
cussed them  eloquently,  yet  not  one  of  these 
writers  could  induce  him  to  deny  Fred  his  nose ; 
therefore,  finding  them  insufficient  to  establish 
his  authority,  and  not  having  much  taste  for 
reading,  I  did  not  look  into  these  celebrated 
works,  and  yet  my  boy  obeyed  my  words,  and 
even  my  looks.  I  found  great  virtue  in  a  ra- 
tional, well  managed  rod.  Scolding  is  every 
way  injurious.  It  is  pouring  water  into  a  sieve ; 


76  RECOLLECTIONS  OP 

your  child  becomes  accustomed  to  threats,  and 
the  passions  of  both  rise  with  the  voice. 

"  How  did  you  contrive  to  be  so  cool,"  said 
a  gentleman  to  a  Quaker,  "  when  that  rascally 
porter  cheated  you  ?"  His  reply  is  a  lesson  to 
parents  and  housewives.  "  Friend,  I  long  ago 
obliged  myself  not  to  speak  loud,  and  therefore 
[  never  lose  my  temper." 

I  have  seen  so  many  well-regulated  families 
brought  up  under  Solomon's  discipline,  and 
sometimes  controlled  by  the  mere  sight  of  a 
switch  hung  over  the  mantelpiece,  that  I  am 
tempted  to  think  he  is  getting  too  much  out  of 
fashion,  and  modern  theories,  with  their  feather 
rods,  "  seem  to  me  like  the  crackling  of  thorns 
under  the  pot." 

My  first  sally  from  my  bedroom  was  to  ride ; 
a  common  custom  in  New-England.  My  babe 
protested  with  all  his  lungs,  and  well  he  might, 
against  the  preparations  of  his  cumbrous  toilet. 
He  instinctively  raised  his  trembling  hands  to 
his  frilled  cap,  and  when  a  smart  blue  satin  hat 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  77 

was  perched  on  the  top  of  that,  making  him  by 
contrast  look  the  colour  of  a  mummy,  his  indig- 
nation was  beyond  all  bounds  ;  and  the  flannel 
blanket,  enveloping  the  whole,  scarcely  smoth- 
ered his  screams.  The  motion  of  the  chaise 
fortunately  soon  lulled  him  to  sleep,  and  I  was 
enabled  to  enjoy  the  repose  of  nature. 

Every  object  was  as  fresh  as  though  it  had 
just  sprung  into  being  before  my  eyes.  The 
beautiful  sloping  hills  of  Brooklyn,  the  spark- 
ling fulness  of  Charles  river  emptying  into  the 
bay,  the  apple  orchards  filling  the  senses  with 
gentle  colours  and  odours,  the  sweet-brier  throw- 
ing out  its  perfume  at  the  very  feet  of  passen- 
gers, the  barberry  bushes,  with  their  delicate 
yellow  blossoms,  preludes  to  the  scarlet  fruit  of 
autumn,  and  even  the  palace-like  buildings, 
placed  at  almost  regular  distances  along  the 
road  from  Cambridge  to  Sweet  Auburn,  seemed 
all  made  for  me.  I  pressed  my  boy  close  to 
my  heart,  with  a  gush  of  gratitude  to  Him  who 
had  thus  blessed  me.  The  cares  of  life  had 
not  taken  rough  hold  of  Edward  or  myself,  nor 


78  RECOLLECTIONS  OP 

were  we  satiated  with  its  pleasures.  There  was 
ever  a  fount  of  gayety  in  our  hearts,  that  threw 
its  sprinklings  over  the  deeper  shades  of  parental 
consciousness,  and  gave  that  relish  to  the 
ludicrous  which  is  almost  always  discernible 
in  delicate  minds. 

But  rides,  like  all  things  else,  must  end.  Fred 
awoke,  and  began  to  grow  restive  beneath  the 
"  bonnet  of  blue."  I  "  shued"  him  as  well  as 
my  strength  would  allow,  but  his  clamour  in- 
creased. Every  father  and  mother,  who  have 
ridden  through  a  populous  city  with  a  scream- 
ing child,  will  know  how  the  perspiration  stood 
on  our  faces  at  this  awful  publicity,  and  how  we 
imagined  that  every  eye  was  fixed  on  us,  and 
every  individual  condemning  the  breeding  of 
Master  Packard. 

I  gave  my  hopeful  baby  into  Polly's  arms  on 
our  return,  and  reconnoitred  my  establishment 
below.  A  good-tempered  woman  was  govern- 
ing all  its  various  departments.  Mrs.  Philip- 
son  was  one  of  those  who  seemed  to  think  the 
old  allowance  of  a  "  peck  of  dirt"  to  a  man  was 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  79 

too  small,  for  her  practical  allowance  was  a 
bushel. 

In  vain  did  I  seek  for  my  own  reflection  in 
the  dim  looking-glass;  a  kitchen  towel  was 
thrown  on  the  sofa ;  Edward,  forgetful  of  all  my 
hints  and  hopes,  "  that  every  thing  was  in  order 
down  stairs,"  had  suffered  his  slippers,  coat, 
books,  &c.  to  accumulate  with  utter  uncon- 
sciousness of  the  effect ;  no  dusting-cloth  had 
passed,  like  the  wing  of  a  good  angel,  over  the 
furniture,  and  a  waggish  friend  had  written  in 
plain  characters  on  one  of  the  tables,  with  his 
finger,  "  Mr.  B 's  compliments." 


80  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  IX. 

INTELLIGENCE    OFFICE. 

Voyons  done,  je  vousprie  ; 

Mettons  1'original  aupres  de  la  copie. 

Par  ma  foi,  c'est  vous-meme  ; — 

Jamais  peintre  ne  fit  portrait  si  ressemblant. 

RKGNAUD. 

What  charm  can  sooth  her  melancholy, 
What  art  can  wash  her  guilt  away  1 

Vicar  ofWakefield. 

MRS.  PHILIFSON,  the  votary  of  the  Penates 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter,  had  been 
obtained  for  me  by  my  mother  at  the  intelli- 
gence-office. It  often  startles  me  when  I  reflect 
what  unprincipled  wretches  may  be  brought 
into  the  very  heart  of  our  domestic  circles,  and 
how  the  pure  minds  of  our  children  may  be 
blighted  in  their  very  unfolding,  by  these  ne- 
cessary but  vicious  instruments. 

Mrs.  Philipson  was  a  chubby  woman  of  forty, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  81 


with  a  scarlet  face  and  scarlet  throat  laid  in  fat 
folds.  Her  eyes  were  prominent  and  whitish. 
Her  round  elbows  rested  upon  her  hips,  from 
whence  her  short  arms  projected,  and  her  hands 
hung  from  her  wrists  with  an  imbecile  air. 
She  spoke  softly,  and  was  liberal  in  promises. 
Polly,  whom  my  readers  may  recollect  as  the 
little  girl  of  our  establishment,  was  necessarily 
greatly  under  the  influence  of  the  cook,  par- 
ticularly as  she  occupied  the  same  room.  She 
was  an  orphan  from  the  Female  Asylum,  bound 
to  me  until  the  age  of  eighteen.  She  was  so 
docile  and  innocent,  that  could  I  always  have 
sheltered  her  under  my  own  wing,  she  would 
have  been  pure  as  a  bird,  and  might  have 
plumed  her  flight  from  me  to  Heaven;  but 
after  the  birth  of  Frederick,  new  affections 
came  to  me  and  new  cares  to  her.  I  could  no 
longer  confine  her  to  the  parlour,  in  her  half- 
s'ized  chair,  with  her  calico  frock  and  apron, 
and  her  hair  simply  parted.  One  morning  I 
discerned  a  row  of  ambitious  paper-curls  on  her 
head ;  soon,  a  soiled  muslin  frill  was  pinned  round 


82  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

her  neck ;  and  on  the  following  Sabbath,  when 
I  was  conjecturing  what  stranger  was  passing 
the  window  stealthily,  a  second  look  revealed 
to  me  Polly,  with  a  bunch  of  faded  flowers 
surmounting  the  simple  green  riband  on  her  hat, 
and  an  old  silk  dress,  which,  hanging  like  a 
bag  about  her  trim  figure,  betrayed  at  once  the 
ungainly  circumference  of  Mrs.  Philipson.  I 
called  to  her  to  come  back.  She  blushed,  and 
said  "the  last  bell  was  tolling." 

"  Come  in,  immediately,"  said  I. 

She  walked  slowly  and  sulkily  back,  and  I 
asked  her  why  she  wore  borrowed  clothes  ? 

For  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  looked  pertly 
as  she  answered,  "  I  don't  see  why  I  can't  dress 
as  well  as  other  folks." 

I  reasoned  with  her,  and  used  affectionate 
persuasions,  but  finding  her  obstinate,  ordered 
her  to  take  off  finery  so  unsuited  to  her  age 
and  situation.  My  anger  was  new  to  her,  and 
she  obeyed.  For  several  days  she  was  sulky 
and  silent ;  every  action  seemed  forced,  and  she 
looked  at  me  as  if  I  were  a  tyrant.  This  ex- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  83 

pression  wore  off,  and  I  hoped  for  better  things. 
I  would  willingly  have  discharged  Mrs.  Philip- 
son,  but  how  could  I,  with  an  infant  in  my 
arms,  my  husband's  comfort  to  study,  and  the 
fang-like  chains  of  custom  clinging  to  me  ? 

Two  weeks  elapsed  in  apparent  acquiescence 
to  my  wishes.  My  whole  soul  was  absorbed 
in  Frederick,  or  perhaps  I  should  have  noticed 
the  under-current  that  was  hurrying  Polly  to 
destruction.  To  see  his  intelligent  smile  awa- 
kening like  young  creation,  to  kiss  his  rounded 
limbs  as  they  came  flushed  like  the  heart  of  a 
white  rose  from  the  morning  bath,  to  feel  his 
dimpled  hand  on  my  cheek,  or  press  the  little 
velvet  luxury  in  my  own,  to  dress  him  with 
maternal  pride  in  robes  wrought  by  the  hand  of 
friendship,  to  sing  him  lullabies  conjured  up 
from  the  breathings  of  love,  and  to  whisper  to 
my  own  heart  a  thousand  and  thousand  times, 
"he  is  an  angel" — was  not  this  occupation 
enough  for  a  young  mother  ? 

I  was  surprised  one  morning  not  to  hear  the 
usual  movements  in  the  house  below,  and  on 


84  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

descending,  found  the  shutters  unopened,  no 
fire  in  the  kitchen,  and  the  outer  door  unlocked. 
I  repaired  in  some  trepidation  to  the  kitchen 
chamber.  It  was  untenanted.  Astonished  and 
agitated,  I  ran  to  acquaint  Edward,  and  we 
proceeded  to  examine  the  premises.  Polly's 
reasons  for  departing  were  told  in  language  as 
strong  as  words,  by  a  bundle  of  her  plain 
clothes  directed  to  me. 

With  what  a  crash  comes  the  first  breach  of 
confidence  on  the  affections,  as  the  circle  of 
agitation  is  more  violent  when  a  stone  is  thrown 
on  a  smooth  lake,  than  on  the  wilder  ocean  ! 
I  had  loved  Polly  like  a  younger  sister.  She 
came  to  me  when  my  cup  of  happiness  was 
full,  and  I  was  glad  to  see  her  taste  her  daily 
draught  with  me.  She  had  looked  at  me  with 
a  trustingnessthat  seemed  to  say,  "you  are  my 
oracle !"  She  had  confided  to  me  her  childish 
sorrows,  and  was  a  willing  hearer  when  I  talked 
of  Edward.  I  had  administered  to  her  in  sick- 
ness, and  when  my  head  ached,  if  every  other 
step  was  heavy,  hers  was  light  and  careful. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  85 

[  looked  round  her  chamber.  There  was 
the  little  glass  hung  against  the  wall,  before 
which  she  had  so  often  combed  her  parted 
hair,  and  which  had  recently  reflected  the  first 
awakened  glance  of  vanity.  She  had  forgotten 
her  Bible,  Edward's  gift.  It  was  lying  on  the 
pine  dressing-table,  with  her  pocket-handker- 
chief folded  over  it,  as  if  it  had  been  her  in- 
tention to  take  it,  but  it  was  forgotten!  I 
glanced  at  Edward,  and  sinking  on  her  bed, 
burst  into  violent  and  bitter  tears.  Edward 
comforted  me  with  a  husband's  better  love,  but 
though  a  neighbour  sent  us  breakfast  and  as- 
sistance, and  we  were  at  length  seated  at  table, 
I  could  not  speak ;  my  voice  was  choked,  and 
large  drops  fell  from  my  eyes  on  Fred's  silky 
hair,  as  he  lay  sleeping  on  my  lap. 

My  dear  mother  hastened  to  me  as  soon  as 
Edward  sent  her  intelligence  of  my  misfor- 
tune. She  insisted  on  my  returning  with  her, 
and  passing  the  remainder  of  the  season ;  and 
as  Edward  was  deeply  engaged  in  business, 
he  urged  it  too.  In-  making  the  necessary  ar- 


86  RECOLLECTIONS    OP 

rangements  for  my  removal,  I  perceived  that 
several  articles  of  my  dress  were  missing,  to- 
gether with  some  silver,  and  my  miniature. 
The  sorrowful  conviction  burst  upon  me,  that 
Polly,  instigated  by  that  human  fiend,  had 
robbed  me. 

Several  months  elapsed,  and  all  inquiries  for 
the  poor  child  were  unavailing.  How  gladly 
would  I  have  taken  her  back  to  my  protection, 
and  showed  her  the  "  better  part,"  for  she  was 
young  in  sin. 

On  entering  the  court-house  one  day,  Ed- 
ward understood  that  the  suit  in  which  he  was 
engaged  would  not  be  brought  up  immediately, 
and  having  some  pressing  business,  he  com- 
menced writing.  Quite  absorbed,  he  knew  not 
what  was  occupying  the  bar,  until  he  heard  a 
lawyer  before  him  exclaim, 

"  By  heavens  !  it  looks  like  Packard's  wife. " 

Edward  started,  and  saw  a  miniature  passing 
from  hand  to  hand  among  the  gentlemen.  He 
rose  to  join  them,  and  it  came  to  him  in  turn. 
It  was  my  likeness.  I  may  write,  for  the  sake 


A  HOUSEKEEPER  87 

of  ray  narrative,  what  Edward  said  in  his  enthu- 
siasm, for  my  age  of  vanity,  if  I  ever  possessed 
any,  has  departed.  A  brilliant  eye,  a  rose-tinged 
cheek,  and  an  airy  form,  speak  only  to  me  now 
of  the  Great  Architect  who  made  them,  and 
who  has  beauty  for  us  in  reversion  that  will  be 
as  the  fine  gold  to  dross. 

"  Clarissa,"  said  my  husband,  "  think  what 
must  have  been  my  sensations  at  that  moment, 
when  the  low  jests  of  some  of  my  brethren, 
and  the  unsubdued  admiration  of  others,  igno"- 
rant  of  my  connexion  with  the  picture,  fell  on 
my  ear.  I  gave  one  long  glance  at  their  linea- 
ments to  assure  me  of  their  identity.  There 
were  your  dark  flashing  eyes  looking  a  sweet 
defiance  on  that  heartless  crowd ;  there  were 
your  ruby  lips  softening  those  eyes  with 
smiles ;  there  were  these  very  curls,  nature's 
handiwork,  falling  over  the  polished  brow ; 
there  was  this  white  hand,  pledged  to  me  in 
truth  and  innocence,  and  those  slight  fingers, 
with  their  one  golden  circlet,  holding  back 
the  clustering  locks,  and  glancing  among  their 


86  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

darkness  like  breaks  of  the  galaxy  between 
parting  clouds.  I  thrust  the  miniature  next 
my  heart,  and  held  my  hands  crushed  over  it 
as  a  miser  holds  a  rescued  treasure.  I  was 
recalled  to  my  recollection  by  an  astonished 
smile  from  those  around  me.  A  few  words 
to  the  counsel  convinced  them  of  my  claim 
on  the  picture,  and  my  interest  in  the  dis- 
closures to  be  made." 

But  Edward  soon  forgot  even  me,  for  sta- 
tioned at  the  bar  were  two  female  figures  fa- 
miliar to  his  memory.  It  was  impossible  to 
mistake  the  vulgar  air  and  face  of  Mrs.  Philip- 
son.  As  the  various  testimony  was  given  in, 
her  eyes  rolled  in  uneasy  impudence  from  side 
to  side,  her  red  hands  were  clenched  in  anger, 
or  she  gave  an  hysterical  sob,  half  affectation, 
half  alarm,  and  raised  the  corner  of  her  shawl 
to  wipe  pretended  tears.  But  a  deeper  feeling 
absorbed  him  when  he  scrutinized  the  timid 
looking  figure  by  her  side.  Her  bonnet,  a  mix- 
ture of  sorry  finery,  scarcely  hid  her  face,  but 
it  was  closely  covered  with  both  her  hands. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  89 

She  looked  like  one  who  would  gladly  have 
called  on  the  rocks  to  cover  her,  and  a  feeling 
of  shame  could  be  seen  in  the  very  bend  of  her 
figure  as  it  crouched  by  the  side  of  the  bolder 
criminal. 

Mrs.  Philipson  had  committed  a  series  of 
thefts  on  the  individual  at  whose  charge  she  was 
summoned,  and  it  was  proved  but  too  clearly 
that  her  young  companion  was  her  accomplice. 
When  Polly  was  requested  to  uncover  her  face, 
she  only  pressed  her  hands  upon  it  more  closely. 
The  necessity  was  explained  to  her,  and  she 
complied.  It  was  pale  as  death,  and  care-worn 
as  though  age  had  trampled  over  it.  She  gave 
one  frightened  glance  around,  but  that  glance 
took  in  the  face  of  Edward,  who  was  leaning 
forward  with  harrowing  interest.  It  was  too 
much  for  poor  Polly.  A  scream  of  joy  and 
horror  burst  from  her,  and  extending  her  arms 
towards  him,  she  fell  senseless.  He  came  for- 
ward, and  stating  his  relation  to  her,  begged  to 
be  allowed  a  few  moments'  conversation  with 
her  in  presence  of  counsel.  The  poor  child 
H  2 


90  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

soon  recovered,  and  shrinking  from  the  baleful 
touch  of  her  seducer,  met  Edward's  compas- 
sionate eye,  who  spake  soothingly  to  her,  and 
she  gathered  courage. 

"  It  was  first  flattery,  then  fear,  that  ruined 
me,"  she  said,  in  a  low  voice  ;  "  but  I  have  never 
loved  wickedness.  I  wrould  have  come  back  to 
you  if  I  could,  but  that  wicked  woman  fright- 
ened me,  and  gave  me  vile  drinks,  and  then  I 
did  her  bidding.  I  never  stole  for  myself.  She 
gave  me  these  clothes,"  continued  she,  earnestly, 
"  they  are  all  I  own  in  the  wide  world.  If  it 
hadn't  been  for  the  picture,  sir,"  and  she  shud- 
dered as  she  spoke,  "  I  might  have  been  worse. 
I  hid  it  where  she  could  not  find  it,  and  I  knelt 
down  and  looked  at  it  when  I  was  afraid  to  pray  to 
God,  and  it  seemed  to  strengthen  me,  and  make 
me  bolder  in  the  right.  They  took  it  from  me, 
or  I  would  give  it  to  you,  sir."  Here  her  voice 
was  very  mournful,  but  looking  again  terrified, 
she  said,  "  Do  you  think  they  can  hang  me  for 
this  ?  I  am  sure  I  shall  grow  good  again." 

The  trial  closed,  and  Mrs.  Philipson  was 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  91 

sentenced  to  the  heaviest  penalty  of  the  law. 
Polly's  youth  and  inexperience  were  mitigating 
circumstances,  and  her  punishment  was  almost 
nominal. 

About  twilight  on  the  evening  of  that  day, 
Edward  came  home,  as  I  thought,  with  a 
stranger.  In  a  moment,  Polly  was  at  my  feet, 
asking  pardon  through  gushing  tears.  Her  story 
was  soon  told,  and  I  comforted  the  young  peni- 
tent with  Christian  promises. 

The  next  morning  she  came  down  with  her 
calico  frock  and  apron,  her  hair  parted  again 
with  girlish  simplicity,  and  hid  her  bashfulness 
in  caresses  of  my  Frederick. 

She  has  been  my  tried  and  faithful  friend, 
through  joy  and  sorrow,  for  many  years ;  and  is 
now  sitting  in  her  low  chair,  with  a  plain,  re- 
spectable looking  cap  over  her  hair,  which  is 
just  revealing  the  first  tread  of  time,  while  my 
grand-daughter  Clarissa  is  roguishly  trying  on 
her  new  spectacles. 


92  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  X. 

KITCHEN  COURTSHIP. 

— —  his  aspect  breathed  repose, 
And  in  sweet  torpor  he  was  plunged  deep, 
Ne  could  himself  from  ceaseless  yawning  keep. 

CASTLE  OF  INDOLENCE. 

IT  was  winter  when  I  returned  to  housekeep- 
ing, and  installed  Lydia,  commonly  pronounced 
Lyddy  Pierce,  as  president  of  the  dishcloth. 
She  was  of  the  demure  sort,  as  silent  and  regu- 
lar as  the  stars,  past  the  heyday  of  youth,  and 
had  reached  an  age  which  the  eagle-eyed  house- 
keeper loves.  I  had  restored  Polly  to  full  con- 
fidence. The  sooner  you  trust  in  a  generous 
mind  after  error,  the  more  hold  you  possess 
over  its  returning  rectitude,  and  the  more  it  feels 
the  practicability  of  virtue. 

One  of  our  visiters  was  Mr.  Stockton,  a  gen- 
tleman of  broken  mercantile  fortunes,  about 
thirty-five  years  of  age.  He  had  reserved  from 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  93 

his  creditors  just  sufficient  for  his  own  support ; 
but  not  having  much  energy  of  character,  stood 
still  at  that  point,  and  kept  himself  alive  by 
calling  about  once  a  week  to  pass  an  evening 
with  his  friends.  His  ideas  were  all  in  a  cir- 
cle, and  to  us  it  was  a  mental  tread-mill.  We 
soon  learned  to  distinguish  his  knock  at  the  door, 
and  what  a  death-peal  was  it  to  our  imaginations 
when,  after  having  put  Frederick  to  bed,  I  sat 
sewing  and  Edward  reading,  in  the  luxury  of 
winter  evening  repose'.  We  could  have  tole- 
rated his  visits  with  cheerful  politeness  had  they 
been  of  moderate  length ;  or  had  he  possessed 
any  conversational  powers,  we  would  have  lis- 
tened patiently;  but  Mr.  Stockton  seemed  to 
have  nothing  on  earth  to  say.  Why  he  came 
to  see  us,  and  why  he  tarried  so  long,  I  have 
never  learned  to  this  day.  I  once  heard  a  father 
say  to  a  son  who  was  going  to  college,  "  Sam- 
uel, however  intimate  you  may  be,  never  make 
long  visits."  This  good  advice  Mr.  Stockton 
either  never  heard,  or  disregarded. 

He  had  been  sitting  with  us  one  evening  five 


94  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

hours,  having  come  to  sociable  tea.  A  pause  in 
the  conversation  being  unusually  long,  I  looked 
up  from  my  sewing,  and  saw  Edward  asleep. 
I  felt  a  little  fidgety,  and  took  the  tongs  to  mend 
the  fire.  Edward  stretched  forward  his  legs 
and  called  out,  "  May  it  please  your  honour,  the 
plaintiff — "  I  contrived  to  pass  near  him, 
and  trod  upon  his  foot.  He  started  and  recov- 
ered, somewhat  refreshed,  while  Mr.  Stockton, 
brightening  up  with  the  incident,  thought 
proper  to  sit  an  hour  longer. 

Another  evening  (it  was  the  Sabbath),  when 
Edward  had  taken  two  or  three  nods  I  went 
into  the  kitchen,  and  with  a  preliminary  yawn 
told  Polly  that  I  could  keep  awake  no  longer, 
and  bade  her  come  in  and  collect  the  silver  to 
carry  to  my  bedroom,  and  close  the  parlour  shut- 
ters. "  There  is  some  hope,"  said  I,  "  that  Mr. 
Stockton  may  observe  what  you  are  doing  and 
depart."  It  was  then  ten  o'clock.  Polly  bustled 
about  and  closed  the  shutters,  and  as  she  passed 
me  I  whispered,  "  Make  as  much  noise  as  pos- 
sible." 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  95 

"  An  excellent  plan  that,"  said  Mr.  Stockton, 
"  to  close  the  shutters ;  it  keeps  in  the  warm 
air ;"  and  he  buttoned  up  his  coat,  drew  his 
chair  nearer  the  fire,  and  put  his  feet  on  the 
fender. 

Edward  almost  groaned,  and  we  sat  cogitating 
until  eleven  o'clock  before  Mr.  Stockton  said, 
with  a  hem  and  a  little  hitch  of  his  chair,  that 
he  "believed  it  was  getting  late."  Edward  and 
1  were  silent.  -»  .,, 

"  The  evenings  are  growing  long,"  said  he. 

"  Very,"  rejoined  Edward  and  I,  in  a  breath. 

"  These  are  fine  nights  for  sleep,  Mr.  Pack- 
ard," said  our  imperturbable  visiter. 

"Very,"  answered  Edward,  and  I  echoed 
"Very." 

"  The  fire  treads  snow,"*  said  Mr.  Stockton, 
"  I  think  we  shall  have  falling  weather." 

Edward  rose,  unbolted  a  window,  and  looking 
out,  said,  "  Yes,  falling  weather ;"  and  bolting 
the  window-shutter  again,  sat  down. 

"  I  believe  I  must  think  of  going,"  said  Mr. 

*  A  phrase  for  a  crackling  sound  in  ignited  wood. 


96  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

Stockton.  A  dead  pause. — At  length,  for  all 
late  sittings,  whether  in  Congress  or  parlours, 
will  have  an  end,  our  guest  departed. 

I  usually  visited  the  kitchen  before  retiring, 
to  observe  whether  all  were  safe.  For  several 
evenings  I  found  the  ashes  raked  up  in  a  sym- 
metrical mound,  the  hearth  swept  clean,  the 
boiler  filled  and  placed  upon  the  trammels,  and 
the  dough  in  its  white  trough,  with  its  whiter 
towel,  set  at  a  safe  distance  to  rise. 

After  Mr.  Stockton's  "departure  I  went  as 
usual  to  inspect  the  premises,  leaving  the  par- 
lour-door open  to  light  the  passage.  Every  thing 
was  quiet,  but  I  fancied  that  the  settle,  the  back 
of  which  was  towards  me,  was  too  near  the  fire. 
In  the  act  of  removing  it  I  caught  hold  of  a  head 
of  well-greased  hair,  and  heard,  though  too  late, 
a  warning  hem ! 

I  screamed,  and  Edward  ran  with  a  light. 
Lyddy  and  a  young  man  who  sat  beside  her 
rose  in  some  confusion,  but  the  maiden  soon 
recovered,  and  said  with  great  composure, 

"I  forgot  to  tell  you,  ma'am,  that  I  had  a 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  97 

spark. — This  is  Nathan  Osgood,  Mr.  Hill  the 
tailor's  'prentice,  a  very  reputable  person." 

I  apologized  in  my  turn,  and  left  Mr.  Osgood 
to  "  smooth  his  raven  darkness." 

There  is  a  tacit  agreement  in  New-England, 
allowing  this  midnight  intercourse  in  the  best 
regulated  families ;  families  who  would  raise 
their  hands  and  eyes  at  every  breach  of  de- 
corum ;  I  therefore  retired,  and  left  Nathan 
and  Lyddy  in  undisturbed  possession  of  the 
settle. 

It  so  chanced,  that  Lyddy  having  as  little  to 
say  in  the  kitchen  as  Mr.  Stockton  in  the  par- 
lour, the  happy  couple  fell  asleep.  In  the  mean 
time  the  elements,  which  pay  regard  neither  to 
Leanders  nor  Nathans,  were  brewing  a  quiet  but 
potent  snow-storm.  They  formed  a  regular  and 
sure  barricade  of  snow-flakes  through  the  silent 
hours  of  night;  a  drifting  wind  bore  them 
against  our  doors  and  windows,  and  settling  into 
a  biting  northeaster  cemented  them  there  ;  and 
when  Nathan,  stiff  from  his  sitting  posture  and 
chilled  with  cold,  awoke  at  the  mechanic's  early 


98  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

hour,  he  found  himself  imprisoned  by  these  Al- 
pine banks. 

He  awoke  Lyddy,  and  called  a  council  of 
love.  The  snow-banks  reached  to  the  second 
story  over  the  kitchen.  He  might  have  gone 
out  at  the  front  door,  but  was  he  a  man  to  leave  . 
his  Lyddy  struggling  with  the  powers  of  frost  ? 
Not  he.  With  shovel  in  hand  he  commenced 
operations,  and  in  an  hour  she  was  able  to  fol- 
low him  with  a  broom,  sweeping  away  the  lighter 
particles,  under  an  arch  of  snow,  to  the  wood- 
house  ;  and  in  half  an  hour  more  he  cleared  his 
way  to  the  street,  claimed  a  lover's  reward,  went 
home,  mounted  his  week-day  clothes,  and  for 
six  days  was  as  faithful  a  tailor  as  he  had  been 
lover  on  the  seventh. 

I  arose  at  eight,  and  found  snow-patches  in 
every  crevice  of  my  windows,  a  tracery  of  frost- 
work on  the  panes  of  glass,  and  the  water  in 
the  ewer  a  mass  of  ice.  With  chattering  teeth 
and  purple  fingers  I  descended  to  the  parlour. 
It  was  in  perfect  order  ;  a  cheerful  fire  blazed 
on  the  hearth,  and  Edward's  boots,  polished  to 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  99 

the  highest,  were  warming  by  the  fender.  The 
scene  in  the  kitchen  was  equally  auspicious. 
Lyddy,  with  as  grave  a  look  as  though  she  had 
never  felt  la  belle  passion,  stood  at  the  wash-tub 
(in  which  she  had  made  far  advances),  watching 
the  baking  cakes.  Polly  had  Fred  between  her 
knees,  wrapped  up  in  a  flannel  gown,  his  scorched 
face  looking  like  a  full  moon.  She  was  dex- 
terously keeping  her  sewing  from  his  mischie- 
vous grasp,  and  persevering  in  spite  of  him  in 
her  industry.  What  could  rival  the  comfort  of 
such  a  home,  when,  to  complete  the  luxury, 
Polly  with  her  smiling  face  brought  to  the  break- 
fast-table the  hot  coffee,  which,  as  the  poet 
sings  of  something  else,  was 

"  deep,  yet  clear, 

Strong  without  rage,  without  o'erflowing  full." 

And  all  this  with  the  thermometer  below  zero  ! 
I  have  not  yet  mentioned  that  Lyddy  was  ex- 
cessively deaf.  Polly  used  to  say  "  she  was  as 
deaf  as  a  haddock."  I  have  sometimes  specu- 
lated about  this  New-England  phrase,  but  have 


100  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

not  been  able  to  trace  its  origin,  and  I  do  not  find 
that  naturalists  refer  to  any  peculiar  organiza- 
tion of  the  species  which  authorizes  it. 

It  was  not  the  fault  of  my  lungs  if  our  neigh- 
bours did  not  know  the  items  of  our  daily  food. 
I  often  forgot  that  others  were  not  deaf,  and 
caught  Edward  smiling  at  my  trumpet-tongued 
style.  One  day  in  particular,  when  a  stranger 
was  dining  with  us,  I  had  been  unusually  occu- 
pied in  preparing  for  dinner  in  the  kitchen,  and 
had  pitched  my  voice  very  high.  Quite  uncon- 
sciously I  turned  to  our  guest,  and  his  polite- 
ness could  scarcely  prevent  his  starting  when 
I  screamed,  "  Allow  me  to  give  you  a  piece  of 
ham,  sir." 

"  Clarissa,"  said  Mr.  Packard,  greatly  amused, 
"  Mr.  Stevens  is  not  deaf." 

I  was  sadly  disconcerted,  and  it  was  some 
time  before  our  courteous  visiter  could  bow  and 
smile  me  into  self-possession. 

One  of  the  accidents  which  Lyddy's  infirmity 
caused  was  particularly  provoking,  and  oc- 
curred in  the  following  manner  at  a  fruit-party, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  101 

given  by  us  to  some  New-Yorkers,  who  brought 
us  letters.  I  made  unusual  efforts  to  procure 
fresh  cream,  and  had  succeeded  so  well,  that 
dishes  with  ladles  stood  at  the  head,  foot,  and 
centre  of  the  table  ;  enough  indeed  for  a  house- 
keeper's measure,  which  is,  to  make  every  one 
help  freely,  without  looking  round  to  see  how  far 
a  thing  will  go.  My  sensitiveness  was  perfectly 
satisfied  with  the  display,  as  I  saw  the  thick 
white  volumes  poured  over  the  rich  red  raspber- 
ries and  strawberries,  but  as  quickly  I  detected 
a  change  in  my  guests ;  here  a  half  look  of 
disgust,  there  a  glance  of  concern,  in  one  quar- 
ter unusual  eloquence,  in  another  unusual  taci- 
turnity. Every  one  knows  that  the  lady  of  the 
house  is  the  last  person  to  taste  at  table  of  her 
own  delicacies,  and  so  confident  was  I  in  the 
perfection  of  the  cream,  that  I  would  have  volun- 
teered to  stand  in  Hebe's  place  with  it,  as  cup- 
bearer to  the  gods.  Edward's  turn  came  before 
mine.  "  Bless  my  soul,  my  dear,"  said  he,  with 
a  wry  face, "  what  is  the  matter  with  the  cream  ?" 


102  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

I  dipped  my  spoon  in  the  compound  which 
has  furnished  the  poet  with  so  exquisite  an 
illustration  of  beauty, 

"  Her  lips  looked  like  strawberries  smothered  in  cream." 

and 

"  When  fondly  thinking  to  allay 
My  appetite  with  gust,  instead  of  fruit 
Chewed  bitter  ashes,  which  th'  offended  taste 
With  spattering  noise  rejected." — 

Or,  to  be  less  Miltonian,  I  tasted,  and  would  wil- 
lingly have  thrown  from  my  mouth  a  nauseous 
mixture  of  salted  cream. 

Lyddy,  who,  as  is  not  unfrequently  the  case, 
had  doffed  her  cook's  habit  and  acted  as  wait- 
ing-woman, perceived,  in  helpless  ignorance  of 
wrong,  the  consternation  that  prevailed.  I  had 
tact  enough  to  know  that  to  question  her  would 
be  worse  than  useless  ;  but  Edward,  forgetting 
her  deafness,  asked  her,  as  she  stood  near  him, 
"  what  was  the  matter  with  the  cream  ?" 

"  Very  sweet  and  fresh,  sir,"  said  she,  in  the 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  103 

guttural  tone  peculiar  to  very  deaf  people  ;  "  kept 
down  the  cellar  all  the  forenoon." 

This  malapropos  answer  came  in  very  well, 
and  turned  mortification  to  mirth,  which  was 
increased  when  Edward  said,  in  a  louder  tone, 

"  But,  Lyddy,  what  have  you  done  to  the 
cream  ?"  and  she  answered, 

"  Yes,  sir,  very  fresh ;  Miss  Hatch  was  spoke 
to  aforehand  for  the  best,  and  I  thought  I  would 
salt  it  topresarve  it,  as  Miss  Packard  tell'd  me." 

This  grave  answer  let  loose  the  flood-gates 
of  wit  und  laughter,  and  we  finished  our  dessert 
with  attic  salt,  as  a  substitute  for  poor  Lyddy's 
mistaken  mixture. 

But  while  I  thus  detail  circumstances  which, 
if  taken  by  the  housekeeper  in  a  right  spirit, 
produce  at  worst  but  a  passing  shade  over  the 
brightness  of  her  regime,  let  me  stop  a  moment 
to  pay  a  tribute  to  Lydia's  unpretending  virtws. 
Happy  shall  we  be  if,  like  her,  we  only  mistake 
our  duty.  Through  her  long  days  of  toil,  her 
onward  course  was  calm  and  steady,  unruffled 
by  passion,  studious  to  please,  contemplative 


104  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

and  prayerful.  Her  study  was  to  serve  God 
and  her  fellow-creatures.  Peace  to  thy  mem- 
ory, my  humble  friend  !  When  the  lords  of  this 
world  are  summoned  to  the  test  of  a  high  tribu- 
nal, will  they  not  envy  thee  ? 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  105 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  HELPLESS  BRIDE. 

For  the  maist  thrifty  man  could  never  get 
A  well-stored  room,  unless  his  wife  wad  let. 

Gentle  Shepherd. 

In  short,  'twas  his  fate,  sir, 
To  eat  mutton  cold. 

Goldsmith's  Retaliation. 

A  LETTER  which  I  have  recently  received 
seems  so  appropriate  to  my  recollections,  that  1 
hope  I  shall  be  excused  for  presenting  it  in  these 
details.  Its  writer,  Emily  Lawrence,  seemed 
never  made  for  a  coarser  implement  than  a  No. 
12  needle.  Before  her  marriage  she  breathed 
the  very  atmosphere  of  indulgence,  the  acqui- 
sition of  various  accomplishments  being  the 
only  discipline  she  was  called  to  endure.  Her 
hands  were  white  and  soft  as  infancy,  her  step 
untroubled  and  elastic,  her  spirits  joyous  and 
gentle,  her  smile  delicate  as  moonlight ;  she  was 


106  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

a  sweet  creature,  and  her  friends  loved  to  lift 
her  along  the  road  of  life  without  her  touching 
the  earth.  Her  experiences  after  her  marriage 
will  be  best  illustrated  by  her  letter. 

"QuiNCY,  Mass.  Aug.  9th,  18 — . 
"  My  Dear  Friend, 

"  I  have  been  for  some  time  intending  to  write 
to  you,  as  I  promised  at  parting,  to  give  you  a 
description  of  our  establishment,  and  the  beau- 
tiful scenery  about  this  delightful  region.  I 
have  but  little  excuse  for  my  delay,  and  will 
make  amends  by  a  long  letter. 

"  You  recollect  that  when  I  left  my  dear  ma- 
ternal home,  my  mother  provided  me  with 
excellent  domestics,  and  every  thing  useful 
and  elegant  suited  to  our  large  fortune.  In- 
deed there  seemed  no  deficiency  throughout 
the  whole  establishment,  and  she  departed  for 
England,  happy  in  the  belief  that  the  care  and 
expense  bestowed  on  my  education  had  been 
attended  with  complete  success ;  that  I  was  fit- 
ted to  adorn  the  fortune  I  inherited,  and  to  pre- 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  107 

side  over  a  family  with  grace  and  dignity. 
Alas !  she  had  only  seen  me  in  my  drawing- 
room,  surrounded  with  taste  and  elegance,  beau- 
tifully dressed,  with  an  admiring  husband  who 
studied  every  wish.  But,  my  dear  friend,  I 
soon  found  myself  involved  in  perplexities.  Oh 
how  I  wished  you  were  here  to  enlighten  me 
by  your  experience ! 

"  The  domestics  I  brought  with  me  from  Bos- 
ton soon  began  to  grow  dissatisfied  with  the 
monotony  of  a  country  life,  and  to  feel  the  want 
of  those  social  pleasures  to  which  all  human 
beings  aspire.  My  cook,  an  excellent  woman, 
pined  for  her  own  minister.  She  had  been  a 
very  respectable  member  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  her  native  town,  and  feeling  the 
want  of  those  respectful  attentions  to  which 
she  had  been  accustomed  on  the  Sabbath,  it 
was  always  a  melancholy  day  to  her.  In  vain 
I  took  her  in  our  comfortable  coach  to  the 
Episcopal  church,  which  was  under  the  espe- 
cial patronage  of  my  husband,  and  seated  her 


108  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

in  a  respectable  pew ;  she  said  "  she  did  not 
like  to  hear  prayers  i~ead,  she  wished  to  hear 
the  minister  pray  from  his  heart,  as  she  had 
been  accustomed  to  hear." 

"  My  chamber-maid  Amanda,  who  was  some- 
thing of  a  coquette,  and  very  fond  of  dress, 
complained  that  she  "  might  as  well  be  shut  up 
in  a  prison;'  to  be  sure  the  house  was  well 
enough,  and  her  wages  were  high,  and  she 
hadn't  much  to  do,  and  got  presents  from  the 
visiters,  but  what  did  all  that  signify  if  she  was 
to  be  moped  up  in  a  great  castle  of  a  place, 
with  nobody  to  speak  to  ?  Besides,  she  didn't 
like  the  prospect  from  the  kitchen  winders,  and 
Mr.  Lawrence  had  not  given  her  a  rocking- 
chair — she  had  always  been  used  to  a  rocking- 
chair  in  kitchens." 

"  My  own  little  waiting-maid,  who  knew  no- 
thing but  how  to  dress  me,  and  whose  whole 
happiness  consisted  inmaking  me  look  beautiful, 
was,  except  the  coachman,  the  only  contented 
one  in  the  establishment;  her  happiness  was 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  109 

complete  when  my  dear  Henry  came  into  my 
dressing-room,  admired  my  charms,  and  the 
taste  with  which  Jane  had  adorned  them. 

"  Complaints  daily  increased,  although  Mr. 
Lawrence  cut  down  a  fine  tree  to  open  the 
view  from  the  kitchen,  and  provided  a  rocking- 
chair  for  Amanda ;  and  she  soon  left  me,  be- 
cause, when  a  smart  young  gardener  in  our 
employ  wished  to  stay  with  her,  I  would  not 
allow  them  a  separate  room  from  the  kitchen  to 
court  in. 

"  My  footman  was  equally  discontented ;  he 
was  tired  of  a  subordinate  situation,  and  having 
accumulated  a  considerable  amount  in  the  Sa- 
vings Bank,  decided  to  go  back  to  the  city  and 
set  up  in  trade ;  and  this  decision  seemed  ac- 
celerated by  Mr.  Lawrence  offering  him  a  sec- 
ond-hand hat,  upon  which  he  took  up  his  own 
and  departed. 

"  Our  cook/  who  was  a  woman  of  principle, 
gave  us  formal  notice  of  her  intention  to  go 
away,  and  really  seemed  to  feel  for  my  situa- 
tion ;  but  she  said  her  conscience  wouldn't  let 


. 10  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

her  stay.  She  remained,  however,  until  we 
were  accommodated  with  such  domestics  as 
the  country  afforded. 

"  The  mistakes  which  occurred  the  first  few 
days  after  her  departure  we  ascribed  to  acci- 
dent, and,  as  we  were  without  company,  they 
rather  amused  us.  The  waiting-man  John,  or 
his  first  debut,  placed  the  dinner  service  on  the 
table,  putting  a  small  dish  of  vegetables  at.  the 
head,  a  piece  of  roast  beef  at  one  corner,  and 
deliberately  moving  the  pickles  in  front  of  my 
carver.  I  followed  him,  and  gave  him  direc- 
tions, to  which  he  paid  very  respectful  atten- 
tion. As  we  seated  ourselves,  he  took  up  a 
newspaper  and  sat  down  by  the  window  to 
read.  Mr.  Lawrence  was  exceedingly  annoyed, 
because  he  could  not  instantly  decide  whether 
he  was  impudent  as  well  as  ignorant.  After 
some  embarrassment  he  said, 

" '  Young  man,  it  is  not  customary  for  a  per- 
son employed  to  wait  at  table  to  sit  down.' 

"  John  started  up  with  great  alacrity,  and  saidt 
'  Oh,  isn't  it  ?  Well,  I'd  as  lief  stand,  I  ain't 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  Ill 

the  least  grain  tired.  You  havn't  a  power  of 
work  for  a  hired  man  to  do.' 

"  We  felt  some  comfort  in  the  idea  that  we 
had  only  ignorance  to  contend  with,  though  that 
was  bad  enough,  considering  our  inexperience. 
Henry  very  good-naturedly  instructed  him  in 
his  business,  and  although  it  seemed  very 
strange  to  him  that  two  persons  should  require 
a  third  to  stand  and  watch  them  while  they 
were  eating,  yet  finding  the  work  easy  and 
profitable,  he  soon  acquitted  himself  to  our 
satisfaction. 

"  As  we  lived  at  some  distance  from  town,  I 
was  frequently  without  the  common  necessaries 
for  cooking,  from  my  total  ignorance  of  what 
ought  to  be  furnished  beforehand.  My  new 
cook,  though  perfectly  obliging,  knew  nothing 
of  her  business,  and  it  was  deplorable  to  see 
her  serve  up  a  dinner.  It  happened,  perhaps 
unfortunately,  that  we  had  no  company  for  sev- 
eral weeks,  and  Henry  and  myself  were  too 
much  engrossed  with  each  other  to  observe  the 
gradual  decline  of  good  order  which  had  taken 


112  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

place  since  the  departure  of  our  city  help ;  but 
we  were  at  length  aroused  by  a  letter  from 
Henry's  uncle  and  former  guardian,  announ- 
cing that  as  we  had  been  at  housekeeping  long 
enough  to  have  every  thing  in  fine  order,  he 
would  pay  us  a  visit.  We  were  delighted  at 
the  prospect  of  seeing  him,  and  it  did  not  oc- 
cur to  us  immediately  that  he  was  very  par- 
ticular, and  our  domestics  very  ignorant. 

"  When  he  arrived  I  felt  some  anxiety  that  he 
should  have  a  comfortable  dinner,  and  went  into 
the  kitchen  for  the  first  time  to  consult  with  the 
cook.  I  confess,  with  all  my  inexperience,  I 
felt  shocked  and  alarmed  at  the  dirt  with  which 
I  was  surrounded,  and  at  the  singular  appropri- 
ations of  the  various  articles  of  kitchen  furni- 
ture. One  of  the  best  tin  pans  was  on  the 
hearth,  full  of  ashes  ;  a  fine  damask  towtl  had 
been  used  to  wipe  the  dishes  ;  the  oil-can  and 
rags  stood  in  a  chair ;  and  a  pair  of  Henry's 
good  boots  were  thrust  under  the  sink  with 
some  iron  pots,  in  which  were  the  accumulated 
skimmings  of  weeks. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  113 

"  I  found  that  the  butcher  had  left  a  leg  of  veal, 
and  nothing  else  ;  but  recollecting  that  my  uncle 
was  very  fond  of  stuffed  veal,  I  told  the  cook 
to  stuff  and  roast  it.  She  asked  if  I  had  any 
sweet  herbs.  I  told  her  that  I  believed  the 
herbs  in  the  kitchen  were  used,  but  that  my 
mother  had  put  me  up  several  paper  bags  of 
sage,  catnip,  &c.,  which  I  supposed  would  do 
as  well,  and  ordered  her  to  put  in  a  plenty,  as 
my  uncle  liked  his  food  high-seasoned, 

"  My  husband  invited  two  neighbouring  gen- 
tlemen to  take  a  family  dinner.  When  the  veal 
was  carved  and  tasted,  I  leave  it  to  your  imagi- 
nation to  conceive  of  my  distress  and  Henry's 
mortification,  on  finding  that  our  only  dish 
was  ruined.  A  half-picked  ham-bone  was 
summoned  from  the  store-room,  on  which  our 
guests  satisfied  the  cravings  of  appetite. 

"  The  following  day  we  made  more  elaborate 
preparations,  and  Mr.  Lawrence  asked  me,  in 
the  most  gentle  manner,  just  to  look  into  the 
kitchen  and  see  that  every  thing  was  going  on 
right.  Being  sincerely  desirous  to  please  my 
K2 


114  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

dear  husband  and  discharge  my  duty,  I  deter- 
mined to  spend  the  morning  in  the  kitchen. 
But  there  I  was  in  everybody's  way,  and  only 
worried  by  trying  to  hurry  my  unskilful  do- 
mestics ;  indeed,  I  was  wholly  incompetent 
even  to  advise  them. 

"  I  began  to  feel  some  trepidation  as  the  din- 
ner-hour approached ;  and  when  I  saw  the  hete- 
rogeneous mass  on  the  table,  in  a  style  so 
different  from  our  former  elegant  dinners,  I 
had  scarcely  courage  to  take  my  seat.  My 
uncle  sat  next  to  me,  and  offered  to  carve  a 
pair  of  roasted  chickens.  When  he  cut  off  the 
wing,  out  dropped  from  the  crop  (as  I  have 
since  heard  it  is  called)  corn,  and  beans,  and 
grass,  just  as  they  had  been  eaten  by  the  fowl. 
I  perceived  by  his  countenance  that  some- 
thing was  wrong,  but  he  adroitly  concealed  the 
unsightly  objects  from  our  visiters,  and  refrained 
from  making  any  remark. 

"  When  our  guests  departed,  he  took  me  aside, 
and  said, 

" '  My  dear  child,  you  had  materials  enough 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  115 

on  your  table  for  twenty  persons,  but  your  cook- 
ery is  deplorably  deficient.  Your  mother  neg- 
lected a  very  important  part  of  your  educa- 
tion. You  will  spend  your  fortune  to  very  lit- 
tle purpose  if,  amid  the  abundance  with  which 
you  are  surrounded,  you  cannot  procure  a  well- 
cooked  dinner.' 

'•  I  felt  at  that  moment  as  if  I  would  have 
given  up  all  my  French,  German,  and  every 
accomplishment,  in  exchange  for  the  knowledge 
which  would  make  me  a  good  housekeeper. 
Every  young  married  woman  who  is  ignorant 
of  her  duties  will  meet  mortifications  at  every 
step ;  an  elegant  establishment,  an  ample  for- 
tune, and  even  a  devoted  husband,  will  not 
secure  her  happiness. 

"  You  may  suppose  that  my  nerves  became 
considerably  excited ;  indeed,  I  could  not  al- 
ways control  my  feelings  during  my  uncle's 
visit.  The  day  before  his  departure  Henry 
again  had  company,  and  had  been  at  some  pains 
to  procure  a  brace  of  partridges  for  dinner. 
They  looked  very  well,  for  I  studied  a  cook- 


116  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

book  that  morning,  but  when  my  husband  cut 
them,  they  were  nearly  raw ;  he  gave  a  glance 
at  me,  I  burst  into  tears,  and  was  so  much  agi- 
tated that  I  was  obliged  to  quit  the  table.  He 
followed,  and  said  every  thing  he  could  to  con- 
sole me,  but  utterly  unable  to  command  my- 
self, I  begged  him  to  carry  my  apology  to  his 
guests,  and  I  sobbed  away  the  afternoon. 

"  My  uncle  has  promised  to  look  out  for  an 
experienced  housekeeper  for  me,  and  I  have 
engaged  to  take  lessons  of  her,  so  that  when 
he  comes  again  I  can  show  him  my  own 
cookery.  I  told  him  I  should  be  more  proud 
of  serving  up  a  well-dressed  turkey  for  him, 
with  all  the  accompaniments  in  good  order, 
than  in  performing  the  most  difficult  piece  of 
music.  Both  he  and  Henry  smiled  encour- 
agingly on  me,  and  said  that  with  such  a  dis- 
position to  do  right  I  could  not  fail  of  suc- 
ceeding. But  how  much  better  would  it  have 
been  to  have  been  taught  these  things  under  the 
eye  of  a  mother !  My  husband  is  very  social 
in  his  disposition,  and  frequently  brings  home 


A.  HOUSEKEEPER.  117 

guests  unexpectedly,  and  I  often  see  his  brow 
clouded  and  his  temper  disturbed  by  the  total 
ignorance  of  his  wife.  Not  that  he  complains, 
for  he  knows  how  desirous  I  am  to  please  him 
ever  to  say  a  word  to  wound  my  feelings,  but  I 
can  perceive  that  he  is  anxious,  and  instead  of 
feeling  light-hearted  with  his  guests,  is  dread- 
ing blunders  which  will  make  me  ridiculous. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  and  respected  friend,  let 
me  ask  you  to  come,  and  counsel  and  teach  me. 
I  find  that  wealth  cannot  produce  order  and 
comfort,  and  I  long  for  your  example  and  advice 
in  the  absence  of  my  mother. 

"  Affectionately  yours, 

"  EMILY  LAWRENCE." 


118  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A    STRUGGLE    FOR    POWER. 

"  He  reprimands,  by  glancing  with  his  eye — 
And  she  inflicts  her  soft  reproach — a  sigh. 
That's  all — and  that's  enough  for  man  and  wife  ; 
Did  you  expect  an  Iliad  of  strife  1 
Why  need  invective  to  make  error  smart, 
When  looks  and  signs  as  deeply  touch  the  heart  1" 

THREE  years  passed  quietly  away  before 
Lyddy  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Nathan 
Osgood.  Notwithstanding  her  attention  to  the 
duties  of  my  family,  Lyddy  made  two  quilts  of 
marvellous  beauty.  One  was  in  hexagon  pieces, 
each  the  size  of  a  dollar.  The  other  displayed 
in  the  centre  a  tree,  on  which  were  birds 
larger  than  the  limbs  thereof,  while  each  corner 
contained  what  I  was  glad  to  be  informed  was 
a  shepherd  with  his  flock.  To  accomplish  these 
chefs  cPwuvre  I  had  seen  several  yards  of  good 
chints  destroyed ;  but,  as  the  gentlemen  say,  de 
gustibus  non  est  disputandum. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  119 

Lyddy's  successor,  Hannah  Sanders'  first  re- 
quest on  becoming  my  help  was,  that  she  might 
attend  night-meetings.  I  readily  agreed  to  this 
thinking  that  she  was  attached  to  some  church, 
and  would  be  more  conscientious  from  her  re- 
ligious profession ;  but  she  proved  to  be  the  mere 
child  of  excitement.  She  attended  every  de- 
nomination,— was  out  every  evening.  The  toll- 
ing of  a  bell  unhinged  all  her  faculties.  When 
I  said  to  her,  "  Hannah,  I  should  like  to  have 
you  reflect  one  evening  on  what  you  have  heard 
the  evening  before,"  she  answered,  "  Oh,  Mm 
Packard,  you  don't  know  any  thing  about  it. 
When  I  am  at  meeting  I  feel  like  a  gill  cup 

running  over." 

^  . 
But   I   must  not  omit  to  introduce  at  this 

period  a  department  of  my  establishment 
which,  though  humble  in  itself,  wrought  im- 
portant effects  on  my  after  happiness. 

I  carried  with  me  from  my  mother's  house  a 
cat,  which  was  so  beautiful  that  I  named  her 
Fairy,  in  honour  of  the  damsel  who  was  changed 
to  Grimalkin  in  the  old  romance.  If  I  had  a 


120  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

prejudice,  it  was  in  favour  of  cats  and  against 
dogs ;  this  was  unfortunate,  for  soon  after  my 
marriage  I  was  introduced  to  a  mastiff  of  Ed- 
ward's nearly  as  large  as  myself.  I  had  often 
heard  him  speak  of  this  dog,  and  praise  the 
faithfulness  with  which  he  guarded  the  office. 
I  was  too  busy  in  other  interests  to  think  much 
of  Growler  for  some  time.  I  only  observed, 
that  on  his  occasional  visits  (for  the  office 
was  his  head-quarters),  Fairy's  back  lose  indig- 
nantly, and  I  felt  mine  disposed  to  mount  too. 
At  length,  Growler  finding  the  house  so.  com- 
fortable, came  home  at  night  with  his  master, 
and  daringly  laid  his  unwieldy  form  on  the 
centre  of  the  hearth-rug,  while  Fairy,  routed 
from  her  luxurious  station,  stood  upon  her  dig- 
nity, hissing  and  sputtering  in  one  corner. 

For  a  long  period  a  single  look  from  me 
would  make  Edward  banish  Growler  from  the 
room  ;  but  a  present  of  a  new  office-dog  from  a 
friend  completely  established  him  at  home,  and 
my  husband  became  accustomed  to  my  look 
and  Growler's  presence.  "When  he  grew  in- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  121 

different,  my  ire  was  roused.  I  affirmed,  that 
of  all  created  things  dogs  were  the  dirtiest, — 
that  the  house  was  filled  with  fleas, — that  my 
visiters  never  could  approach  the  fire, — that 
Growler  ate  us  out  of  house  and  home, — and  if 
he  was  to  be  indulged  in  tracking  the  Wilton 
carpet  and  painted  floors,  we  had  better  live  in 
a  wigwam. 

Edward  sometimes  gently  excused  his  dog, 
sometimes  defended  him,  and  always  turned 
him  out  of  doors.  The  animal,  knowing  he 
had  an  enemy  in  the  cabinet,  would  sneak  in 
with  a  coward  look,  his  tail  between  his  legs, 
but  invariably  succeeded  in  ensconcing  him- 
self on  Fairy's  rightful  domain. 

At  length  I  became  quite  nervous  about  him. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  he  haunted  me  like  a 
ghost.  I  was  even  jealous  of  Edward's  caresses 
to  him,  and  looked  and  spoke  as  no  good  wife 
should  look  or  speak  to  her  husband. 

It  is  from  permitting  such  trifles  to  gain  the 
ascendency  over  the  mind  that  most  connubial 
discord  proceeds.  We  dwell  on  some  little 


122  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

peculiarity  in  manner  or  taste  opposed  to  our 
own,  and  jar  the  rich  harp  of  domestic  happi- 
ness until,  one  by  one,  every  string  is  broken. 
I  might  have  gone  on  in  this  foolish  ingenuity 
in  unhappiness,  and  perhaps  have  been  among 
those  whose  matrimonial  bands  are  chains,  not 
garlands,  had  I  not,  when  reading  one  Sabbath 
morning  the  fifth  chapter  of  Ephesians,  been 
struck  with  a  sudden  sense  of  my  duty,  as  I 
jnet  the  words  "  and  the  wife  see  that  she  rever- 
ence her  husband." 

Oh,  young  and  lovely  bride,  watch  well 
the  first  moments  when  your  will  conflicts  with 
his  to  whom  God  and  society  have  given  the 
control.  Reverence  his  wishes  even  when  you 
do  not  his  opinions.  Opportunities  enough  will 
arise  for  the  expression  of  your  independence, 
to  which  he  will  gladly  accede,  without  a  contest 
for  trifles.  The  beautiful  independence  that  soars 
over  and  conquers  an  irritable  temper  is  higher 
than  any  other.  So  surely  as  you  believe 
faults  of  temper  are  beneath  prayer  and  self- 
examination,  you  are  on  dangerous  ground  ;  a 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  123 

fountain  will  spring  up  on  your  household 
hearth,  of  bitter  and  troubled  waters. 

When  this  conviction  came  over  me  I  threw 
myself  on  my  knees,  and  prayed  to  God  for  a 
gentle,  submissive  temper.  After  long  and 
earnest  inquiry  into  my  own  heart,  I  left  my 
chamber  calm  and  happy.  Edward  was  read- 
ing, and  Growler  stood  beside  him.  I  ap- 
proached them  softly,  and  patting  the  dog's 
head,  said,  "  So,  Growler,  helping  your  master 
to  read  ?"  Edward  looked  at  me  inquiringly. 
I  am  sure  my  whole  expression  of  face  was 
changed;  he  drew  me  to  him  in  silence,  and 
gave  me  a  token  of  regard  he  never  bestowed 
on  Growler.  From  that  moment,  though  I 
might  wince  a  little  at  his  inroads  on  my  neat 
housekeeping,  I  never  gave  the  dog  an  angry 
word,  and  I  taught  Fairy  to  regard  him  as  one 
of  the  lords  of  the  creation. 

Growler's  intelligence  was  remarkable,  al- 
though it  did  not  equal  that  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  bull-dog  terrier,  Camp,  who  could  per- 
ceive the  meaning  of  words,  and  who  under- 


124  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

stood  an  allusion  to  an  offence  he  had  commit- 
ted against  the  baker,  for  which  he  had  been 
punished.  In  whatever  voice  and  tone  it  was 
mentioned,  he  would  get  up  and  retire  into  the 
darkest  part  of  the  room  with  an  air  of  dis- 
tress. But  if  you  said,  "  The  baker  was  not 
hurt  after  all,"  Camp  came  forth  from  his 
hiding-place,  capered,  barked,  and  rejoiced. 
Growler,  however,  had  many  of  those  proper- 
ties of  observation  which  raise  the  canine  race 
so  high  in  the  affections  of  man. 

When  Edward  made  his  forenoon  sortie  from 
the  office  to  look  at  his  sleeping  boy,  Growler 
always  accompanied  him,  and  rested  his  fore- 
paws  on  the  head  of  the  cradle.  As  the  babe 
grew  older,  he  loved  to  try  experiments  upon 
the  dog's  sagacity  and  the  child's  courage. 

Sometimes  Fred  was  put  into  a  basket,  and 
Growler  drew  him  carefully  about  the  room 
with  a  string  between  his  teeth ;  as  the  boy  ad- 
vanced in  strength,  he  was  seated  on  the  dog's 
back  with  a  whip  in  his  hand.  When  my 
attachment  to  Growler  increased,  new  experi- 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  125 

ments  were  made,  particularly  after  the  birth 
of  Martha.  She  was  an  exquisite  little  infant, 
and  it  seemed  to  us  that  the  dog  was  more 
gentle  and  tender  in  his  movements  with  her 
than  with  Frederick.  When  two  months  old, 
Edward  sometimes  arranged  a  shawl  carefully 
about  her,  tied  it  strongly,  and  putting  the  knot 
between  the  dog's  teeth,  sent  her  across  the 
room  to  me. — No  mother  ever  carried  a  child 
more  skilfully.  Of  course  all  these  associa- 
tions attached  him  to  the  infant,  and  after  a 
while  he  deserted  the  rug,  where  Fairy  again 
established  herself,  and  laid  himself  down  to 
sleep  by  the  infant's  cradle. 

There  is  nothing  more  picturesque  than  the 
image  of  an  infant  and  a  large  dog.  Every 
one  has  felt  it.  The  little  plump  hand  looks 
smaller  and  whiter  in  his  rough  hair,  and  the 
round  dimpled  cheek  rests  on  his  shaggy  coat 
— like  a  flower  on  a  rock. 

Edward  and  I  and  Frederick  rode  one  af- 
ternoon to  Roxbury  to  take  tea  with  a  friend. 
Our  woman  in  the  kitchen  wished  to  pass  the 
L2 


126  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

night  with  a  sick  person  after  the  evening  lec- 
ture, and  I  felt  no  hesitation  in  leaving  Martha 
to  Polly's  care.  We  were  prevented,  by  an  ac- 
cidental delay,  from  returning  until  ten  o'clock. 
The  ride  over  the  neck,  although  it  was  fine 
sleighing,  appeared  uncommonly  long,  for  I  had 
never  been  so  far  and  so  long  from  my  iiifant. 
The  wind  was  sharp  and  frosty,  but  my  atten- 
tion was  beguiled  by  sheltering  Frederick  with 
my  furs,  who  soon  fell  asleep,  singing  his  own 
little  lullaby.  As  we  entered  the  Square  we 
perceived  that  the  neighbouring  houses  were 
closed  for  the  night,  and  no  light  visible,  but 
a  universal  brilliancy  through  the  crevices  of 
our  parlour-shutters.  Our  hearts  misgave  us. 
I  uttered  an  involuntary  cry,  and  Edward  said, 
that  "  a  common  fire-light  could  not  produce 
such  an  effect."  He  urged  his  horse, — we 
reached  the  house, — I  sprang  from  the  sleigh  to 
the  door.  It  was  fastened.  We  knocked  with 
violence.  There  was  no  answer.  We  looked 
through  a  small  aperture,  and  both  screamed  in 
agony  "  fire  !"  In  vain  Edward  attempted  to 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  127 

wrench  the  bolt  or  burst  the  door,  that  horrible 
light  still  gleaming  on  us.  We  flew  to  the 
side-door,  and  I  then  recollected  that  a  window 
was  usually  left  open  in  that  quarter,  in  a  room 
which  communicated  with  the  parlour,  for  the 
smoke  to  escape  when  the  wind  prevailed  in 
the  quarter  it  had  done  this  day.  The  window 
was  open,  and  as  Edward  threw  down  logs 
that  we  might  reach  it,  we  heard  a  stifled  howl. 
We  mounted  the  logs,  and  could  just  raise  our 
heads  to  the  window.  Oh,  heavens  !  what  were 
our  emotions,  as  we  saw  Growler  with  his  fore- 
paws  stationed  on  the  window,  holding  Martha 
safely  with  her  night-dress  between  his  teeth, 
ready  to  spring  at  the  last  extremity,  and  sus- 
pending the  little  cherub  so  carefully  that  she 
thought  it  but  one  of  his  customary  gambols ! 
With  a  little  effort  Edward  reached  the  child, 
and  Growler,  springing  to  the  ground,  fawned 
and  grovelled  at  our  feet. 

Edward  alarmed  the  neighbourhood  and  en- 
tered the  window.  Poor  Polly  had  fainted  in 
the  entry  from  the  close  atmosphere  and  ex- 


128  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

cess  of  terror.  She  could  give  no  account  of 
the  origin  of  the  fire,  unless  she  had  dropped  a 
spark  on  the  window-curtain.  The  moment  a 
blaze  appeared  she  endeavoured  to  extinguish  it ; 
"  but,"  said  she,  "  the  flames  ran  like  wild-fire  ; 
and  when  I  found  I  could  do  nothing,  I  snatched 
Martha  from  the  cradle,  and  ran  into  the  entry 
to  go  out  by  the  back  door ;  after  that  I  recol- 
lect nothing." 

With  prodigious  efforts  the  house  was  saved, 
though  with  a  great  loss  of  furniture.  But 
what  were  pecuniary  losses  that  night  to  us  ? 
We  were  sheltered  by  a  hospitable  neighbour ; 
our  little  cherub  was  clasped  in  our  arms,  amid 
smiles  and  tears ;  and  Growler,  our  good  Grow- 
ler, with  a  whimpering  dream,  lay  sleeping  at 
our  feet. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  129 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

FACTS  AND  REFLECTIONS. 

Mistress  of  herself,  though  china  fall. 

POPI. 

But  see,  the  well-plum'd  hearse  comes  nodding  on. 
BLAIR'S  GRAVE. 

EVERY  housekeeper  has  experienced  what  is 
called  a  "  breaking  season,"  when  the  centre  of 
gravitation  seems  shaken,  as  far  as  crockery  is 
concerned.  Such  an  era  followed  the  departure 
of  Hannah  Sanders,  who  left  me  to  reside  with 
a  minister's  lady. 

I  will  offer  no  excuse-  for  this  subject,  since  it 
forms  the  point  of  discussion  for  half  my  sex  in 
their  select  circles,  and  constitutes,  in  some  mea- 
sure, the  conversational  boundary  line  between 
men  and  women.  True  to  my  character  of 
housekeeper,  let  me  proceed. 

Compassion  and  interest  induced  me  to  offer 
the  situation  of  cook  to  a  Mrs.  Sliter,  whose  hus- 


130  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

band  had  recently  died  in  the  neighbourhood. 
She  was  one  of  those  persons  who  may  look  de- 
cently in  new  crape,  but  who  generally,  with  a 
great  display  of  pins  on  their  waist  and  sleeves, 
put  them  nowhere  else  ;  or  who  apply  them  as 
if  totally  ignorant  of  the  "  fitness"  of  dress,  as 
well  as  of  things.  I  took  her  as  a  forlorn  hope 
— one  of  those  experiments  that  New-England 
ladies  are  so  constantly  obliged  to  make  of  the 
morals  and  dispositions  of  strangers.  Edward 
was  detained  late  at  court  the  day  on  which  she 
came,  and  I  ordered  some  hashed  lamb  and 
roasted  potatoes  for  his  supper.  Mrs.  Sliter,  with 
the  hash  in  one  hand  and  the  hot  potatoes  in  the 
other,  issued  from  the  kitchen,  but  unfortunately 
turned  towards  the  cellar  instead  of  the  parlour 
passage.  We  were  startled  by  a  sudden  noise, 
and  hastened  to  the  kitchen ;  but  neither  cook 
nor  viands  were  there,  and  we  heard  a  stifled 
voice  from  the  cellar,  crying,  "  Marcy  me,  marcy 
me  !"  Following  the  sound,  and  descending  the 
stairs,  we  found  Mrs.  Sliter  lying  at  the  foot, 
who  with  her  meat  and  potatoes  had  rolled  down 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  131 

into  the  ash-heap,  and,  in  attempting  to  rise, 
pulled  over  a  barrel  of  soft  soap. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  her  appearance  as 
she  arose  from  this  alkaline  immersion.  The 
soap  trickled  from  the  deep  frill  of  her  widow's 
cap  in  streams  over  her  cheeks,  and  commin- 
gling with  the  ashes,  left  scarcely  a  trace  of  th* 
"  human  face  divine  ;"  and  what  added  to  the 
grotesqueness  of  the  scene  was  her  holding  up 
the  mutton  dish  unharmed.  How  this  was  ac- 
complished in  her  necessary  gyrations  down  a 
deep  flight  of  stairs,  we  never  could  comprehend. 
Her  complaints  were  eloquent  enough,  min- 
gled with  some  irritability  at  our  ill-restrained 
laughter. 

In  arranging  the  bed-rooms  the  following 
morning  she  broke  a  toilet-glass,  and  was  in 
still  deeper  consternation. 

"  Oh,  Miss  Packard,"  she  cried,  "  there  will 
sartainly  be  a  death  in  the  family.  It  was  only 
two  months  ago,  poor  Mr.  Sliter  that's  dead  and 
gone  broke  his  shaving-glass,  and  you  see  what's 
come  on't.  I'm  left,  as  it  were,  a  poor  lone 

'' 


132  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

vider,  without  a  partner ;  and  it  was  but  a  year 
ago  that  my  neighbour,  Miss  Stone,  that  keeps 
the  wittle  (victual)  house,  broke  her  parlour- 
glass,  and  that  same  day,  as  she  was  chawing 
some  fish,  a  bone  choked  her,  and  she  was  as 
good  as  dead  for  an  hour." 

To  verify  Mrs.  Sliter's  prediction,  Polly,  a 
month  from  the  date  of  the  broken  toilet-glass, 
heard  of  the  death  of  a  great-uncle  whom  she 
had  never  seen,  and  Mrs.  Sliter  went  about  the 
house  with  a  self-congratulatory  cackle  at  the 
birth  of  the  disaster.  To  me,  however,  the  pre- 
diction of  trouble,  if  not  of  death,  seemed  real- 
ized. Piece  after  piece  of  my  dinner  set  (a 
rare  and  beautiful  style  at  the  time,  white  ground 
with  a  rose-coloured  vine  on  the  edge),  came 
tinkling  on  my  ears  with  a  sound  that  a  house- 
wife can  detect  from  afar. 

I  early  obliged  myself  not  to  stir  on  such  oc- 
casions. If  one  can  sit  still  a  few  moments, 
quietly  lay  down  a  book,  or  fold  up  one's  work, 
or  knit  to  the  middle  of  one's  needle,  there  is 
a  favourable  prospect  of  keeping  the  temper 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  133 

smooth ;  but  as  surely  as  you  start  up  with 
"  there,  now,"  your  feminine  dignity  is  gone.  I 
had  a  friend  who  once  conquered  an  irritable 
temper  by  obliging  herself  to  count  twenty 
when  under  sudden  excitement. 

Mrs.  Sliter's  next  feat  was  to  lose  the  balance 
of  the  breakfast  tray,  and  deposite  the  whole  ap- 
paratus on  the  floor.  Every  housekeeper  will 
give  me  their  sympathy  when  I  describe  to  them 
my  sugar-bowl  without  a  cover,  my  cream-pot 
without  a  handle,  my  coffee-pot  indented  at  the 
side,  and  an  unmatching  slop-bowl  called  in  from 
the  kitchen  to  complete  the  muster-roll. 

An  honest,  open  breakage,  one  can  bear  with 
a  tolerable  grace,  but  it  is  hard  to  be  the  subjej 
of  duplicity  as  well  as  carelessness.  Mrs.  Sliter's 
favourite  practice  was  to  conceal  the  results  of 
her  organ  of  destructiveness,  until  they  were 
discovered  in  some  nook  or  corner,  in  the  form 
of  irregular  triangles  of  glass  or  china.  Frede- 
rick, who  was  as  great  a  collector  of  old  china, 
in  his  way,  as  Monkbarns,  discovered,  in  Mrs. 
Sliter's  short  but  emphatic  reign,  treasure  upon 

M 


134  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

treasure;  and  his  broken  dishes,  as  he  called 
the  pieces  of  crockery,  were  gathered  up  from 
the  cellar,  the  ash-heap,  the  wood-house,  and 
every  other  spot  where  his  busy  little  feet  resort- 
ed for  what  is  miscalled  mischief.  At  length, 
one  day,  he  brought  in  a  sample  to  his  grandmo- 
ther, who  was  visiting  us.  The  moment  she 
saw  it  she  detected  the  cup,  the  very  teacup 
from  which  Dr.  Franklin  had  once  drunk.  It 
had  been  a  family  boast,  and  she  had  given  it 
to  me  at  my  earnest  solicitation.  My  mother 
was  really  affected ;  she  took  Frederick  in  her 
arms,  and  told  him  the  story  of  the  cup  ;  how 
Benjamin  Franklin  sat  and  talked  with  her  pa- 
rents as  he  sipped  his  tea;  how  her  mother 
whispered  to  her  that  he  was  a  great  man ; 
how  she  took  the  cup  from  his  hand,  and  said, 
"  No  one  shall  use  this  again." 

We  were  all  silent  as  she  sat  polishing  the 
fragment  with  her  pocket-handkerchief,  and  even 
the  boy  laid  it  aside  carefully: 

To  heighten  my  troubles  at  this  period,  I 
found  the  contents  of  my  decanters  sensibly 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  135 

lowered,  and  perceived  that  Mrs.  Sliter  was  fre- 
quently intoxicated.  When  accused  of  purloin- 
ing the  liquor  she  denied,  until  the  proof  became 
too  glaring,  and  when  no  longer  able  to  evade, 
said  to  me,  "  Miss  Packard,  you're  the  unf eel- 
ingest  person  I  ever  see,  to  speak  so  onkind  to 
a  lone  vider  that  ain't  got  no  consolation,  and 
vishes  to  raise  her  sperits.  I  ain't  a  going  to 
stay  with  a  person  that  begrudges  every  mouth- 
ful that's  ate  and  drank,  and  you  need'nt  expect 
me  to  give  you  a  character,  for  I  shan't  recom- 
mend your  house  to  nobody." 

She  decamped  in  violent  wrath,  and  we 
were  thrown  for  several  weeks  on  our  own 
resources. 

There  could  scarcely  be  a  more  striking 
illustration  of  the  lamentable  dependance  of 
housekeepers  on  servants,  than  in  the  obligation 
I  felt  myself  under  when  deserted  by  Hannah, 
to  take  under  my  roof  this  woman,  with  whose 
character  and  disposition  I  was  so  little  acquaint- 
ed. Mrs.  Sliter  was  the  wife  of  a  wood-sawyer, 
and  sent  for  me  in  haste,  as  a  neighbour,  to  see 


136  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

her  after  her  husband's  decease.  I  went  with 
as  much  promptitude  as  possible.  Mr.  Sliter 
had  died  in  a  fit  of  drunkenness,  and  his  bloated 
body  was  laid  out  in  all  the  state  that  extreme 
poverty  could  assume,  in  the  small  apartment, 
the  common  bedroom  and  parlour  of  the  mise- 
rable pair.  In  an  old  chair,  from  which  hung 
the  broken  rushes,  sat  his  wife,  rocking  in  the 
restlessness  of  unoccupied  grief. 

I  took  her  hand,  and  was  about  offering  her 
consolation ;  but  her  sorrow  was  not  of  that  sort 
that  breaks  the  heart  in  silence,  and  I  was  in- 
terrupted by  her  dolorous  voice,  preceded  by  a 
long  drawn  sigh. 

"Death  is  a  dreadful  thing,  ma'am.  Mr. 
Sliter,  poor  man,  that's  dead  and  gone,  and  I 
have  lived  nigh  twenty  year  together.  It's  hard 
to  be  left  a  lone  voman,  as  it  vere.  He  was 
nobody's  enemy  but  his  own.  I  shall  be  a  lone 
body  indeed," — and  she  put  her  handkerchief 
to  the  corners  of  both  eyes. 

I  commenced  once  more  the  usual  common- 
place attempts  at  consolation,  when  looking  up, 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  137 

she  said  briskly,  "  Miss  Packard,  do  viders  vear 
weils  now  ?" 

This  miserable  attempt  at  the  semblance  of 
mourning  first  led  me  to  speculate  on  the  pro- 
priety of  black  apparel  for  the  bereaved.  If  pur 
friends  are  virtuous,  and  our  belief  in  Christian- 
ity sincere,  why  assume  a  mourning  robe,  when 
they  are  clothed  in  the  white  garments  of  im- 
mortality ?  Why  shroud  our  heads,  when  theirs 
are  crowned  with  amaranthine  wreaths  ?  Why 
utter  sighs  of  wo,  when  they  are  hymning  to 
celestial  harps,  amid  celestial  choirs  ?  And  when 
a  case  occurs  where  those  who  should  have 
loved  us  have  rent  our  hearts  by  sin^  or  broken 
them  by  harshness,  and  the  weary  spirit,  shrink- 
ing from  observation,  turns  on  itself  to  commune 
in  silence,  why  assume  the  ostentation  of  regret 
before  an  unsympathizing  world  ? 

Yet  let  me  not  treat  lightly  or  harshly  a  prej- 
udice founded  on  the  delicate  impulses  of  na- 
ture. Perhaps  the  hand  that  writes  these  stric- 
tures might  be  the  first  to  mould  those  sombre 
monuments  which  affection  raises  to  departed 
M2 


138  '    RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

friends,  and  would  be  the  last  to  lay  aside  the 
time-honoured  associations  that  cluster  in  the 
day  of  earthly  separation. 

However  this  may  be,  Mrs.  Sliter,  with  a  veil 
of  proper  dimensions,  followed  him  to  the  grave 
who  had  thrice  kicked  her  out  of  doors  ;  actu- 
ally, if  not  nominally,  caused  the  death  of  her 
only  infant  by  brutality;  left  her  whom  God 
and  society  demanded  him  to  support,  a  misera- 
ble pauper,  and  gone  down  to  the  tomb,  a  bloated 
carcass,  to  meet  the  changes,  for  weal  or  wo,  of 
an  endless  immortality. 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  139 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  TEMPERANCE  LECTURE  TO  MY  COUSIN 
WILLIAM. 

She  could  go  near  the  precipice,  nor  dread 
A  failing  caution,  or  a  giddy  head  ; 
She'd  fix  her  eyes  upon  the  roaring  flood, 
And  dance  upon  the  brink  where  danger  stood. 

The  Borough. 

IT  seems  to  me  a  dream,  that  I  once  cleansed 
and  replenished  a  gin  and  brandy  decanter  every 
Saturday  morning.  My  "swords  are  turned 
into  ploughshares,  and  my  spears  into  pru- 
ning hooks  ;"  for  there  they  stand,  the  pictures 
of  innocence,  converted  into  water-crafts  and 
molasses  bottles. 

Let  every  housekeeper  seriously  look  back 
through  her  past  experience,  and  ask  herself 
how  many  individuals  (unintentionally  of 
course)  she  has  led  into  temptation  with  these 
polished  seducers :  and  if  she  has  herself  es- 
caped a  pit  where  so  many  of  the  bright  and 


140  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

good  have  fallen,  offer  up  a  prayer  of  thank- 
fulness. 

I  know  not  how  others  may  have  felt,  but 
my  soul  has  often  been  wrung  with  anguish  at 
the  utter  hopelessness  of  preventing  any  indi- 
vidual, who  has  betrayed  a  tendency  to  intem- 
perance, from  plunging  daily  further  and  fur- 
ther into  sin,  when  the  means  were  spread  out 
before  him,  leaving  unchecked  his  vitiated  taste. 

Edward,  like  others,  provided  liquors  for  his 
sideboard,  but  only  drank  them  as  the  compli- 
ment which  society  demanded  with  his  guests. 
William  Ingols,  my  cousin,  an  interesting  young 
man,  entered  his  office  as  a  student,  and  re- 
sided with  us.  He  wras  confiding  and  commu- 
nicative, and  I  soon  began  to  love  him  as  a 
member  of  our  household.  At  his  first  dinner, 
Edward  joined  him  in  a  glass  of  brandy  and 
water;  on  succeeding  days  he  took  it  unsoli- 
cited ;  in  a  short  time  he  drank  at  the  sideboard 
before  dinner ;  and,  in  a  few  weeks,  repeated  the 
draught  at  bedtime. 

I  asked  Edward's  advice  on  what  was  to  be 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  141 

done.  He  answered  with  a  smile,  "You  are 
a  woman,  and  can  manage  these  things  better 
than  I.  Talk  with  Ingols  on  the  subject.  You 
know  my  detestation  of  this  genteel  tippling, 
but  I  have  no  authority  over  him." 

A  fair  opportunity  offered,  in  Edward's  ne- 
cessary absence  at  a  circuit  court  for  a  week, 
to  speak  on  the  subject  without  implicating  my 
husband. 

As  Ingols  was  visiting  the  sideboard  as  usual, 
and  (what  seems  to  me  an  alarming  symp- 
tom) covering  the  lower  part  of  the  tumbler 
with  his  hand,  I  asked  him,  with  a  little  hesi- 
tation, if  he  drank  brandy  for  his  health. 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  do,"  said  he,  smiling. 
"  Will  you  take  a  little  for  yours,  cousin  ?" 

"  No,  I  thank  you,"  said  I ;  "  I  am  afraid  of  it." 

"  Afraid  of  it,  cousin  ?  It  will  not  hurt  you. 
You  would  be  all  the  better  for  a  little  tonic." 

"  A  little  tonic  might  not  hurt  me,  cousin 
William,  but  I  fear  being  tempted.  I  distrust 
my  own  strength  of  character." 


142  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"  Pshaw !  you  are  not  serious  !  I  have  been 
drinking  a  little  several  years." 

"  Why  do  you  drink  it  ?"  I  asked.  "  Your 
mind  is  naturally  active,  your  conversation 
agreeable,  you  have  no  mental  or  bodily  suffer- 
ing, and  you  have  a  thousand  rational  modes  of 
enjoyment.  If  you  will  only  look  into  your 
own  feelings,  you  will  find  a  cormorant  settling 
over  them,  whose  guilty  cry  is  '  give,  give  !" 

"  You  are  a  sweet  monitor,  cousin  Clara ;  I 
believe  I  must  take  a  little  brandy,  if  it  is  only 
to  hear  you  scold  so  prettily." 

"  Oh,  Ingols,"  I  answered,  "  do  not,  in  mercy 
to  yourself,  treat  this  subject  so  lightly.  Why 
society  tolerates  its  abuse,  I  know  not.  I  see 
already  a  look  directed  to  that  bottle  when  you 
are  about  to  pour  out  its  libations  to  your  in- 
cipient sensual  desires,  which  speaks  an  awk- 
ward consciousness.  You  are  already  screen- 
ing the  quantity  you  take.  If  you  love  my 
schooling,  hear  it  plainly.  Your  manly  and 
graceful  form  will  soon  begin  to  lose  its  firm- 


A.  HOUSEKEEPER.  143 

ness,  your  brilliant  eyes    shine  with  a  drunk- 
ard's glassy  inexpressiveness,  and  your  mind. 


-"  where  God  has  set  his  seal 


To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man," 

reduced  to  childishness,  worse  than  childishness, 
since  its  weakness  will  have  no  redeeming  in- 
nocence." 

"  But,  Mrs.  Packard,"  said  Ingols,  "you  for- 
get how  many  indulge  in  ardent  spirits  without 
injury." 

"  I  do  not  forget  that,  William,  but  I  remember 
more  vividly  how  many  have  been  destroyed, 
soul  and  body,  while  these  moderate  drinkers, 
favoured  perhaps  by  constitutional  resistance, 
have  been  unscathed  by  the  burning  trial.  But 
they  will  not  escape,  cousin  William  ;  they  can- 
not escape  His  eyes  who  watches  motives  rather 
than  deeds.  They  may  be  strong  enough  to 
carry  until  death  the  unrighteous  banner  of  the 
drunkard  without  reeling,  while  others  are  fall- 
ing on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  but  they 
lead  the  way  to  the  destruction  of  others,  and 
they  must  answer  for  it." 


144  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"  My  dear  cousin,"  said  Ingols,  "  you  take 
this  matter  too  seriously.  You  make  a  bug- 
bear of  a  trifle." 

"  A  trifle !"  I  exclaimed;  "call  not  that  a  tri- 
fle which  rifles  the  mind  and  body  of  their 
best  gifts.  If  I  were  permitted,  I  would  go 
(not  in  the  wildness  of  quixotism,  but  in  the 
spirit  of  him  who  drove  the  profaners  from 
God's  temple)  and  destroy  every  implement  like 
that  before  you,  which  attracts  you  and  others 
from  the  simplicity  of  nature.  They  disgrace 
our  homes,  they  deform  the  purity  of  domestic 
scenes,  and  often  convert  theni  into  bacchanalian 
orgies.  I  had  a  friend  once,  William,  young 
and  lovely;  such  a  one  as  your  warm  heart 
would  have  loved,  and  your  discriminating 
mind  appreciated.  She  received  a  shock  from 
the  early  disappointment  of  her  affections, 
pined,  sickened,  and  drooped  like  a  withering 
flower.  Would  to  God  she  had  died  in  the  un- 
stained paleness  of  her  beauty !  Tonics  were 
recommended,  and  as  medicine  they  were  right. 
Her  health  was  restored,  and  all  would  have 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  145 

been  well,  had  they  not  been  spread  out  among 
the  wants  and  luxuries  of  life.  Her  sensual 
appetite  increased.  I  sicken  as  I  remember 
the  miserable  subterfuges  that  marred  her  fair 
character,  first  chilling  the  confidence  of  friends, 
and  then  by  open  exposures  disgracing  them. 
The  enemy  wrought  surely,  baffled  but  not 
subdued  by  reproaches,  by  sarcasms,  by  en- 
treaties, by  the  shunning  eye  of  retreating 
friendship,  by  the  agonizing  appeals  of  a  dying 
conscience.  She  died  a  drunkard.  Her  mo- 
ther wept  bitterer  tears  than  should  ever  fall  over 
a  daughter's  grave;  her  sister's  cheek  paled 
with  a  sorrow  sadder  than  grief;  and  her  father, 
I  tremble  while  I  say  it,  cursed  his  first- 
born child." 

Ingols  had  not  tasted  his  draught  while  I 
was  speaking,  but  held  it  in  his  hand,  and  when 
I  ceased,  quietly  placed  it  on  the  table  and 
said,  "  Cousin.  I  have  not  the  heart  to  drink 
this  now,  and  will  give  it  up  if  only  to  please 
you." 

"  You  are  not  angry,  then,"  I  said,  eagerly. 

N 


146  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

"  Angry  ?  no,"  he  replied.  "  How  can  I  be 
angry  with  a  true  friend,  and  a  lady  too  ?"  with 
a  low  bow. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  I,  "  and  now  that  I  have 
gone  thus  far,  may  I  proceed  ?" 

"  Yes,  cousin,  I  give  you  carte  blanche." 

"  I  shall  do  it  by  actions,  not  words,"  I  said, 
with  solemnity ;  "  and  I  warn  you  to  be  pre- 
pared, for  I  have  solemnly  pledged  myself  in 
prayer  to  God  that  I  will  never  again  aid  the 
cause  of  the  destroying  angel.  But  promise 
me  (not  that  I  claim  any  right  over  you  but 
that  of  interest  in  your  welfare)  that  you  will 
abstain  from  ardent  spirits,  now  in  the  sunshine 
of  your  youth,  '  before  the  evil  days  come.' " 

Ingols  hesitated,  reflected,  and  promised 
half  earnestly,  half  jestingly. 

On  the  following  day  no  decanter  was  to  be 
seen  on  my  sideboard  or  table,  and  I  carried 
the  keys  up  stairs.  Ingols  was  very  amiable, 
and  our  week  passed  happily  away.  Edward 
returned,  and  took  no  notice  of  the  withdrawal 
of  the  decanters. 


A    HOUSEKEEPER.  147 

I  had  retired  to  my  bedroom  early  one  even- 
ing, when  I  heard  Ingols  enter,  and  ask  Polly 
for  the  keys.  She  came  up  stairs,  and  I  gave 
them  to  her  in  silence.  I  heard  her  transfer 
them  to  him,  and  held  my  breath.  He  opened 
the  door.  I  trembled  so  much  that  I  could  not 
stand.  I  had  emptied  every  decanter.  I  heard 
the  rattling  of  the  keys  as  the  door  closed,  and 
a  faintness  came  over  me  at  my  own  daring. 
A  half  hour  passed  away,  and  Polly  came  back 
with  a  slip  of  paper,  on  which  was  written, 
"  You  have  conquered,  cousin.  I  thank  you, 
and  thank  God." 

I  burst  into  tears,  and  sobbed  as  if  my  heart 
would  break ;  nor  was  I  relieved  until  Edward 
returned  and  said  he  loved  me  better  for  my 
moral  courage. 


148  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CONCLUSION. 

Frae  morn  to  e'en  its  naught  but  toiling, 
At  baking,  roasting,  frying,  boiling. 

The  Two.  Dogs. 

THE  successor  of  Mrs.  Sliter  was  Sukey 
Hopkins,  an  untamed  damsel  from  Nantucket ; 
and  as  Edward  required  some  attendance  at 
the  office,  he  engaged  a  friend  of  hers,  Aaron 
Wheeler,  who  had  driv  her  down,  to  remain  with 
us.  I  passed  every  forenoon  for  a  month  in  the 
kitchen,  to  initiate  her  in  cookery;  and  even  after 
that  period  was  obliged  to  be  with  her  when- 
ever I  had  guests,  of  course  at  the  period  when 
I  ought  to  have  been  most  unincumbered  with 
care.  I  was  obliged  to  watch  the  last  turn  ol 
the  spit,  and  the  last  bubble  of  the  boiling 
gravy,  and  even  lay  the  meats  in  their  right 
position ;  for  know,  inexperienced  reader,  that  a 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  149 

lady  may  as  excusably  stand  on  her  own  head 
at  her  table,  as  have  her  turkey  or  goose  in  an 
unauthorized  posture.  One  bleak  autumnal 
day  we  had  company  to  dine  ;  but  I  became  so 
much  heated  with  my  business  and  anxiety  as 
not  to  dream  of  the  necessity  of  a  fire.  Just 
five  minutes  before  dinner  was  carried  in,  Iran 
up  stairs,  changed  my  dress,  and  seizing  a  fan, 
descended  to  the  drawing-room.  My  zeal  in 
fanning  was  proportioned  to  the  kitchen  ther- 
mometer; and  it  was  not  until  I  detected  a 
shiver  in  a  lady  who  sat  within  the  influence  of 
my  ^Eolus,  as  Edward  prettily  called  a  fan, 
that  I  perceived  my  faux  pas. 

The  day  after  Aaron's  induction  into  his  du- 
ties, I  went  to  Cornhill,  shopping ;  and  Edward 
left  word  with  him  that  if  a  certain  gentleman 
called,  he  must  ask  him  in  to  sit  until  he  came. 
When  Edward  opened  the  door,  what  should 
he  behold  but  Aaron,  sitting  with  his  feet  on  the 
fender,  entertaining  Mr. with  the  last  Nan- 
tucket  news ! 

A  few  evenings  succeeding  I  invited  com- 

N2 


150  RECOLLECTIONS    OF 

pany  to  tea.  I  was  the  whole  morning  drilling 
Sukey  and  Aaron,  and  as  I  went  to  make  my 
toilet,  I  said,  "  be  very  careful,  Aaron,  that 
the  ladies  and  gentlemen  are  all  supplied  with 
sugar  and  cream  in  their  coffee."  When  the 
company  had  assembled,  and  the  very  last 
visiter,  according  to  the  old  and  formidable  rule, 
had  arrived  and  was  seated,  Aaron  entered 
with  his  tea  tray,  followed  by  Sukey  with  the 
cream  and  sugar.  He  walked  round  as  care- 
fully as  if  he  were  treading  on  eggs.  When 
the  circuit  was  over,  and  he  had  reached  the 
door,  his  mind  seemed  to  misgive  him ;  and 
with  an  anxious  look,  standing  on  tiptoe,  he 
said,  "  I  say,  how  are  ye  on't  for  sugar  and  cream 
in  that  corner  ?" 

On  that  memorable  evening  a  lady  spilled 
some  quince  syrup  on  the  carpet,  when,  to  my 
utter  dismay,  Sukey  set  the  waiter  on  the  floor, 
rushed  out,  and  brought  in  the  mop  to  wipe  it 
up. 

I  have  inserted  these  lingering  reminiscences 
in  this  chapter,  to  show  that  the  most  skilful 


A  HOUSEKEEPER  151 

housewifery  cannot  counteract  the  mortification 
and  embarrassment  of  our  present  system.  I 
took  infinite  pains  to  make  my  daughter  useful. 
She  was  a  sweet,  docile  girl,  and  at  the  age  of 
eleven  often  made  our  tea,  arranged  the  table, 
and  assisted  in  handing  it  when  we  had  com- 
pany; but  notwithstanding  this  early  discipline, 
the  awkward  blending  of  lady  and  housewife 
led  to  countless  anxieties ;  indeed,  it  requires 
an  omnipresent  eye  to  meet  one's  guests  with  the 
personal  welcome  they  demand,  while  providing 
for  their  grosser  wants.  How  many  girls  like 
Sukey  have  I  passed  months  in  drilling,  when, 
just  as  I  began  to  realize ,  the  effects  of  my 
care,  they  have  taken  a  sudden  whim  and  de- 
parted !  How  many  were  there  whom  I  never 
could  teach,  whose  inattention  or  wilfulness 
rendered  me  miserable  !  How  much  hard  la- 
bour have  I  performed  while  paying  high  prices 
for  that  of  others  !  What  then  can  be  done  to 
remedy  this  evil?  It  is  the  opinion  of  Adam 
Smith,  and  an  humble  housekeeper  agrees  with 


152  RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

him,  that  the  perfection  of  society  consists  in  the 
division  of  labour. 

Is  it  not  monstrous  that  educated,  intelligent 
women,  should  be  obliged  to  give  over  their 
children  to  the  care  of  servants,  and  pass  their 
days  in  the  most  menial  occupation  ?  And 
must  our  lovely  daughters  be  called  from  intel- 
lectual or  graceful  accomplishments,  to  asso- 
ciate with  the  vulgar  inmates  of  the  kitchen  ? 

We  have  a  partial  system,  which  it  appears  to 
me  might  easily  be  carried  through  the  whole 
order  of  social  life.  We  have  our  chimney- 
sweeps, our  wood-sawyers,  our  bakeries  ;  why 
not  have  our  grand  cooking  establishments,  our 
scourers,  our  window-cleaners,  &c.  ?  I  will 
give  one  example,  a  direct  one  however,  of  the 
helplessness  of  a  housekeeper  on  the  present 
plan  of  life.  She  perceives,  and  none  but 
those  who  have  witnessed  it  can  tell  how  irri- 
tating is  the  feeling,  that  about  five  hundred 
panes  of  glass  in  her  house  require  washing. 
How  can  they  be  cleansed  ?  It  is  properly  a 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  153 

man's  business,  but  she  must  put  an  inex- 
perienced female  to  the  work  who  is  required 
for  a  hundred  other  things ;  one,  too,  who  per- 
haps never  wiped  a  glass  before.  A  particular 
set  of  cloths  is  required,  step-ladder,  hammer, 
and  a  knack  at  cleaning  glass.  By  the  time 
she  has  accomplished  her  task,  which  is  proba- 
bly imperfectly  done,  broken  a  few  panes,  and 
left  the  sashes  loose  and  clattering,  dust  and 
flies  have  been  equally  active,  and  the  gude 
man  begins  to  say,  "  my  dear,  our  windows  re- 
quire a  little  cleaning."  What  a  cheering  sound 
would  it  be  to  a  lady  so  circumstanced,  if  she 
could  hear  in  the  street  "  any  windows  to  clean 
to-day  ?''  or,  what  is  better,  know  where  to 
send  to  an  establishment  for  a  person  devoted 
to  that  object. 

What  a  desideratum  is  a  cooking  establish- 
ment, where  families  can  be  provided  with 
prepared  food,  and  a  still  greater  to  have  our 
meals  brought  to  us,  now  that  the  improve- 
ments in  steam  can  give  them  hotter  than  from 
our  own  hearths.  They  could  probably  be 


154  RECOLLECTIONS   OF 

furnished  cheaper  than  on  the  present  plan. 
Our  husbands  would  no  longer  be  seen  haggling 
with  butchers  at  their  stalls,  or  balancing  raw 
meat  in  the  open  streets ;  nor  should  we  see 
decent  women,  in  utter  uncertainty  of  their 
dinners,  throwing  up  their  window-sashes  to 
the  passing  countrymen,  with  "  Mister,  what's 
you  got  to-day  ?"  A  friend  could  drop  in  with- 
out disconcerting  a  family,  and  the  lady  of  the 
house  sit  without  a  thorn.  How  many  more 
smiles  would  kindle  up  around  the  domestic 
board,  could  the  wife  be  assured  of  her  husband's 
comfort.  She  has  enough  to  do  in  the  agitating 
responsibility  of  her  maternal  cares ;  her  little 
ones  may  be  sickly,  her  own  health  feeble. 
Many  a  woman  breaks  and  sinks  beneath  the 
wear  and  tear  of  the  frame  and  the  affections. 
She  rallies  before  the  world,  and  "  her  children 
rise  up  and  call  her  blessed,"  and  she  is  blessed 
in  the  conscious  attempt  to  discharge  her  duty ; 
but  cares  eat  away  at  her  heart;  the  day 
presses  on  her  with  new  toils,  the  night  comes, 
and  they  are  unfulfilled ;  she  lies  down  in  weari 


A  HOUSEKEEPER.  155 

ness,  and  rises  with  uncertainty ;  her  smiles  be- 
come languid  and  few,  and  her  husband  won- 
ders at  the  gloominess  of  his  home. 

How  great  a  duty  is  it,  then,  to  study  modes 
of  comfort,  and  preserve  the  song  of  cheer- 
fulness in  the  routine  of  domestic  industry.  It 
is  not  below  the  task  of  legislation,  if  legis- 
lation is  a  study  of  the  order  and  happiness  of 
a  community,  or  if  legislators  would  have 
neat  houses,  good  dinners,  and  smiling  wives. 


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